Ochanya: Court remands accused lecturer’s wife in prison

A Federal High Court in Makurdi has remanded one Mrs Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja in prison for alleged negligence in the rape and death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje. Ochanya was allegedly raped by the defendant’s husband and son, Mr Andrew Ogbuja and Victor Ogbuja. Andrew, a senior lecturer at the Department of Catering and Hotel Management in […]

A Federal High Court in Makurdi has remanded one Mrs Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja in prison for alleged negligence in the rape and death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje.

Ochanya was allegedly raped by the defendant’s husband and son, Mr Andrew Ogbuja and Victor Ogbuja.

Andrew, a senior lecturer at the Department of Catering and Hotel Management in Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo and his son, Victor, a final year student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, were alleged to have serially raped Ochanya for over five years, resulting in the illnesses which later led to her death in October, 2018.

The accused lecturer had been remanded in prison custody since the matter was brought to the legal fore while his son, Victor is still at large.

However, Felicia, 43, was on Tuesday arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on a two-count charge bothering on negligence.

Felicia, also a staff at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, was charged with failing to take action against the sexual exploitation of the late Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje by her husband, Andrew as well as her son, Victor, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 13 (4) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

Also, she was charged with keeping, detaining or harbouring the deceased, knowing that she was likely to be sexually exploited by her husband and her son, an offence contrary to Section 15 (b) of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to her.

Consequently, the prosecuting counsel, Swanta Bossan, urged the court to remand her in prison pending the commencement of her trial.

The defence counsel, David Ojile, however prayed the court to admit his client to bail, on the grounds that the offences for which she is standing trial are bailable.

The trial judge, Justice M. O. Olajuwon, while admitting the defendant to bail of N2 million with two sureties in like sum, held that she be remanded in prison pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.

Justice Olajuwon further adjourned the case to May 10, 2019, for trial.