July 29, 2018
By Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Bayelsa state leader Perekeme Richard Kpodo, has been docked and remanded to Okaka jail for 2 weeks for alleged rape.
Kpodo, who were at logger heads with the chief of the APC inside the state former governor Timipre Sylva and become romancing the Peoples Democratic birthday celebration (PDP)-led government inside the kingdom, had currently fell-out with the PDP and has been these days criticising the Bayelsa kingdom government.
He changed into arraigned before magistrate, E.T Empire-Ugwa of Justice of the Peace court docket 10 on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of 1 Teke Blessing.
In line with the price Sheet, Kpodo become presupposed to have detained Blessing on June 20, 2018 at Etegwe location of Yenagoa with an cause to defile her and thereby dedicated an offence punishable under segment one hundred fifty five of the crook Code.
On count number two, Kpodo, a former safety Adviser inside the nation, turned into said to have, on equal day, allegedly detained the lady, raped her thereby committing an offence punishable below segment 285 of the criminal Code.
Kpodoh pleaded no longer responsible to the fees and his legal professional, Julius Iyekoroghe, who changed into represented through Funlayeifa Seibokuru, carried out for the bail on grounds of illness and private recognition.
Seibokuru, in his argument, pointed out that the bail application changed into hinged at the reality that every accused character is presumed innocent until confirmed guilty.
Consistent with him, the accused apart being hypertensive, also suffered other diseases and he appealed to the courtroom to furnish him bail because he is a known baby-kisser and businessman, who owned lodges and residences in the state.
He noted that the arraignment turned into politically prompted because he has refused overtures made to him by way of the PDP to backtrack on his grievance of government policies
“If granted bail, he received’t jump bail. We additionally have sureties which might be also geared up to take him on bail. The courtroom need to remember his ill health and his character and furnish him bail”, he stated.
However, the Prosecutor Ayibatonye Jumbo, adverse the bail software noting that Kpodoh wields so much influence which could jeopardise the case if launched on bail.
“There may be the chance of the accused individual interfering with the witnesses of the prosecution. The courtroom should also don't forget the superiority of the offence on day by day foundation.
“Almost on a each day basis, crimes like rape occur. Some aren't reported due to stigma of the sufferers”, Jumbo stated.
Jumbo also punctured the argument of the ailments afflicting the accused declaring that there is no scientific document to returned up the claims.
“The remember one is misdemeanour, which is not a extreme offence. However the second depend is legal and a critical offence, which if he's convicted, he might be jailed for existence. Based totally in this, we attraction to the court to reject the bail utility”.
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