A Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on
Wednesday struck out a case of attempted rape against Arthur Obiora for “want of
diligent prosecution”.
Obiora, 26, was arraigned on Nov. 9, 2012, over an
alleged attempt to rape one Nkiruka Akabuogu at 1004 Flats, Victoria Island,
Lagos.
He faced a three-count charge of threat to life, attempted rape
and causing bodily harm to 21-year-old Akabuogu. Obiora, however, pleaded not
guilty to the charges.
The magistrate, Mrs A. O.
Awogboro, who took over the case from Mr Martins Owunmi on Wednesday, following
a reshuffle in the Lagos State Judiciary, granted a prayer of the defence to
strike out the case.
Mr I. O. Fubara, the defence counsel, had asked the
court to strike out the case since Nkeiruka and her family had not appeared in
court since the inception of the case in November 2012.
After the
arraignment, the case had been adjourned till Dec. 12, 2012 and again till Jan.
18, before it came up on Wednesday but no prosecution witness showed
up.
Fabura had told the court during the last hearing that the families
of Obiora and Akabuogu had “entered into discussions on how to resolve the case
amicably’’.
The prosecutor, ASP Augustine Orji, told the court that the
police informed Akabogu that the case was coming up on all the hearing
dates.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akabogu was
initially hospitalised as a result of injuries sustained during the incident but
has since been discharged.
NAN recalls that Orji, had told the court that
Obiora met Akabuogu on Facebook, a social media network. He said the defendant
subsequently invited her to a nightclub in Apapa on Oct. 31, 2012, after which
they retired to his home at Block 10, Flat 317, 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria
Island, Lagos.
Orji had said that Obiora, who claimed to be an unemployed
graduate of Igbinedion University, Okada, and the Centennial College, Ontario,
Canada, shut all the doors in the apartment and demanded to have sex with
Akabuogu.
: “The accused tried to rape her and also threatened to kill
her with a bottle of beer when she refused.
``The girl, fearing for her life,
then jumped down from the third floor of the high-rise building.
``Nkiruka
was discovered lying unconscious in a pool of her own blood about 30 minutes
later by security men in the premises, who then reported the incident to the
police.
``The police took the girl to a hospital and after she regained
consciousness, obtained her statement,’’ the prosecutor said. (NAN)