Rape of two sisters: Police re-arrest suspect in court

BY PETER OKUTU
ABAKALIKI — THERE was a mild drama at the premises of an Abakaliki Magistrate court, Ebonyi State,  as operatives of Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ebonyi State Command, numbering over 20, besieged the court to re-arrest the Vice Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, Mr Sunday Ota and Sunday Nwaokpokwu.

The duo were alleged to have been involved in the rape of two sisters in Ikwo council, last month.

The suspects were arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, robbery and rape.

The heavily armed SARS operatives stormed the court at 12:30pm and took positions in the front and back entrances to the court after Magistrate Gladson Ugbala had ordered that the name of the vice chairman be struck off from the charge sheet on grounds of noticeable defeat in the document.

During the proceeding, the chief magistrate described the inclusion of the name of the vice chairman in the charge as an after-thought and wondered why his name would be written with a pen in a criminal matter.

Ugbala ordered that Sunday Nwaopkoku be remanded in the Abakaliki Prisons and adjourned the matter indefinitely.

Meanwhile, the vice chairman of Ikwo council was taken away from the court in a blue Sienna car to the Ebonyi State Police headquarters.

It would be recalled that the Ebonyi State Police Command arrested the Ota, Monday,  over his alleged mastermind of the rape and robbery incident against a widow and Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP, female councillorship candidate for Ndiagu Echara Ward 1 in Ikwo council, Mrs. Margaret Elom and two of her daughters.