The Ogun State High Court in Ilaro has struck out a rape charge filed against a former lecturer at Covenant University, Ota, Stephen Ukenna.
According to a Certified True Copy of the court’s ruling seen on Tuesday by PREMIUM TIMES, the judge, A. A. Shobayo on 5 June 2024 granted the application of the state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to withdraw the case.
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The case, marked HCT/78C/2021, was struck out after the prosecution lawyer, O. Osunsami, informed the court that efforts to bring witnesses to testify had been unsuccessful.
The defence lawyer, A. Mbuko, who held brief for R. Akinola, did not oppose the application.
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In granting the request, Mr Shobayo ordered the case struck out.
“Defendant is hereby discharged but not acquitted,” the judge ruled.
Background
PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Mr Ukenna, a lecturer in the Department of Business Management at Covenant University, was arrested by police in Ogun State in March 2021 over allegations of rape.
According to a statement at the time by the then Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the lecturer was arrested following a complaint lodged by the parents of a 17-year-old student of the institution.
The parents alleged that their daughter told them she had been invited by the lecturer to his office under the pretext of planning a surprise birthday party for her friend. However, upon arriving, the lecturer allegedly locked the door and raped her on his office table.
Following the report, the then Area Commander in Ota, Muyideen Obe, ordered the lecturer’s immediate arrest.
The then Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, directed that the suspect be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and prosecution.
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