Commercial Motorcycle Rider Rapes Passenger

A commercial motorcyclist, John Ugwu, on Friday appeared before an Enugu State High Court for alleged rape.

The prosecutor, Mrs Chinyere Ugwuja, alleged that the accused raped the victim when he was conveying her to her village at Amaeke Ngwo in Udi Local Government Area on May 25, 2011.

Ugwuja said an eyewitness alerted the police who rushed to the scene around 10 p.m. on the fateful day and rescued the victim.
She said the accused picked the victim from 9th Mile on her way from Onitsha, but rather than take her to her destination, he diverted to a bush and raped her.

She urged the court to evolve the necessary constitutional provisions in sanctioning him as he had no case to defend in this situation.

The counsel to the accused, Mr Emeka Uzoegbu, said his client was not a rapist but a commercial motorcyclist who was working for his daily bread.
"He was just a mere motorcycle rider popularly called Okada operating along the 9th Mile axis. It is true that he conveyed the victim to her uncle’s place off Ama Brewery, but he did not rape her," he said.

Uzoegbu said there was a disagreement between them over the fare which resulted to a fight, adding that his client did not rape her as claimed.
"On his way coming back to the bus-stop at 9th Mile, he stopped at a nearby bush to answer the call of nature when the police arrested him and accused him of rape," he said.

Mr Justice Afam Nwobodo adjourned the case till Oct. 2 for further hearing.