Man defiles 9-year-old girl in Rivers

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded 31-year-old Goodnews Patrick in the prison for allegedly de­filing a 9-year-old girl, Favour (surnname withheld).

The accused who is facing a three-count charge bordering on rape is said to have alleg­edly committed the crime on February 26 at Eme compound, Agbeta-Onne, Rivers State.

It was learnt that the accused allegedly lured the minor and had unlawful carnal knowl­edge of her after she came back from buying him some sachets of water, popularly called ‘pure water’.

The offence punishable un­der Section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap. 37, Vol. II, Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999; Section 31 (1) and (2) of the Child’s Right Act 26 of 2003 and Section 32 (1) and (2) of the Child’s Right Act 26 of 2003.

Both the accused and the vic­tim were in court.

The trial Chief Magistrate, F. N. Nwanze, remanded the accused in the Port Harcourt Maximum Prison and ad­journed the matter till May 10, for mention. - The Authority