Benue State High Court sitting in Makurdi, on Thursday, slated October 8, 2021, for the suspected rapist, Mr Andrew Ogbuja, to open his defence to the charge the Benue State Government entered against him.
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Mr Ogbuja, a 57-year-old lecturer with the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, is facing a four-count charge bordering on rape and murder of a 13-year-old schoolgirl, Miss Elizabeth Ogbanje.
At the sitting on Thursday, the trial judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman adjourned the case to October 8 for the lecturer (defendant) to open his defence, after State Government closed its case with the evidence of the eighth Prosecution witness, PW-8, who identified himself as Bulus and told the court that he is a photojournalist and was led by the Director of Public Prosecution in the State, Peter Ukande.
Earlier, a video cassette was played before the court, where the late Ochanya said Mr Ogbuja and his fugitive son, Victor, serially raped her until she fell ill and was admitted at the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi for two months.
“My aunty’s (Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja) son started sleeping with me, and after that, his father, (Andrew Ogbuja) started sleeping with me too. I was sick and admitted at the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi for two months,” Ochanya revealed in the video that was played before the court.
While being crossed examined, the journalist informed the court that he interviewed the deceased teenager at the premises of the court in August 2018 when Mr Ogbuja was first arraigned at Upper Area Court in Makurdi.
Counsel to the accused, Abel Onoja, objected to the admissibility of the video clip, arguing that he was not properly served with a copy of the video recording.
But upon an appeal by the trial judge to both lawyers in the suit for an accelerated hearing, the defendant’s counsel withdrew his objection which made the judge admit the piece of evidence.
“The video cassette tendered is hereby admitted as Exhibit F,” Justice Ityonyiman said.
The lead prosecution counsel, Peter Ukande, thereafter announced the state’s decision to close its case at that point after calling a total of eight witnesses comprising medical experts, family members of the deceased teenager and police officers who investigated the case.
Mr Ogbuja’s son, Victor, who is still at large, is a second suspect in the case but the police are yet to arrest him or even declare him wanted.
On his part, Ogbuja’s lawyer asked for a date to open his defence.
Consequently, the trial Judge, Justice Ityonyiman adjourned the case to October 8, 2021, for the defendant to commence his defence.
It would be recalled that late Ochanya died on October 17, 2018, from alleged complications from her prolonged rape by the father and his fugitive son.
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