Police arrest armed robbers while raping victim

The police have arrested four robbery suspects at the Ikeja area of Lagos State while they were having carnal knowledge of their victim, one Ogbonna, who was on her way to the office.

Our correspondent learnt that the suspects- Tochuckwu Ilom (21), Confidence Oziegbe (20), Simon Peter (25) and Nnemeka Ugochukwu (26) – had first dispossessed Ogbonna of her valuables before taking turns to rape her.

It was gathered that the victim and three of her friends were walking along Airport Road, Ikeja, around 6am on the fateful day when they were attacked by the robbers, who were with guns and other weapons.

The ladies, who were on their way to the office, reportedly took to their heels.

It was learnt that while three of the ladies escaped, the robbers caught up with Ogbonna and dispossessed her of her Samsung Galaxy handset and a cash sum of N2, 200.

Meanwhile, her other friends who had escaped, were said to have met a police patrol van, which they stopped, and alerted the policemen to the incident.

The policemen were said to have trailed the robbers and found them under the bridge while taking turns to rape the victim.

Some of the robbers were said to have fled the scene, while the police arrested the four suspects.

They were arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s court on four counts of armed robbery and rape.

The charges read in part,  “That you, Tochuckwu Ilom, Confidence Oziegbe, Simon Peter, and Nnemeka Ugochukwu and others at large, on April 11, 2014 at about 6am at Apakun area, under the bridge, along Airport Road, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; armed robbery and rape.

“That you, while armed with a gun and other offensive weapons, did rob one Ogbonna, of her Samsung Galaxy handset valued 40,000 and cash sum of N2,200 total valued N62,000.

“That you and others at large did unlawfully have sexual intercourse with Ogbonna, without her consent.”

The police prosecutor, Ishola Samuel, said the offences were punishable under sections 295, 258 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The Investigating Police Officer, Corporal Monday Abam of the State Criminal Investigation Department, in a remand application told the court that the defendants were arrested with “one earring, ladies’ head ties, pendants, and torn clothes.”

He added that although investigation was ongoing, the defendants had confessed to the crime and witnesses were available to testify in court.

The police prosecutor asked the court to remand the defendants in prison pending the release of the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

Samuel said, “Our request is sequel to Section 264(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011. The remand will help the police conclude investigations as well as duplicate the case file for the DPP’s advice.”

The magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Tanimola, agreed to remand the defendants in the Ikoyi prison for the first 30 days permitted by the law.