The Ebonyi State Police Command, on Wednesday, arraigned a 35-year-old man, Jeff Nwaizugbe, for allegedly sodomising a 13-year-old boy.
It was gathered that the suspect forcefully had carnal knowledge of the boy through his anus.
Southern City News learnt that the suspect committed the offence at No. 44 Udemezue Street, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state, on November 23, 2019.
The accused was arraigned before the Ebonyi Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abakaliki on one count of having unlawful carnal knowledge of the victim.
Southern City News gathered that the boy suffered severe injuries in his anus after the incident and was currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the state.
The police prosecutor, Eze Ndubuaku, told the court that the offence was punishable under Section 214 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
The charge read, “That you, Jeff Nwaizugbe, on November 23, 2019, at No. 44 Udemezue Street, Abakaliki, in the jurisdiction of this honourable court did have unlawful carnal knowledge of the victim, aged 13, through his anus, which is against the order of nature, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 214 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
The suspect’s counsel made an application to the court to admit his client to bail.
The Chief Magistrate, Nnenna Onuoha, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N1m with one surety in like sum.
According to Onuoha, the surety must be responsible and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and he or she must be identified by a traditional ruler, who is also resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
She added that the surety must provide evidence of tax payment for three years.
The matter was adjourned till January 22, 2020, for hearing.