One Daniel Eze, on Tuesday, appeared before Justice A. O. Anidi of Enugu High Court for allegedly raping one Nworie Nnenna, 17, and defrauding her of N80,000.
Court documents showed that the defendant committed the crime in 2017, arraigned before a Magistrate in 2019 and since then, the case was abandoned.
He was arraigned on two-count charge of rape and obtaining money under false pretense.
When the statement of offence was read to him, the defendant, who had no counsel since the case began but was taken on pro bono – voluntarily and without payment – by a counsel, Mrs Ngozi Eke, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Earlier, the Prosecution Officer, Mrs P. O. Ugwu, told court that the defendant on Dec. 26, 2017 at last bus stop in Abakpa Nike, raped the complainant.
Ugwu further said that the defendant used false pretense to defraud the complainant of the sum of N80,000 at the same venue.
Ugwu added that the offence contravened section 306 of Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol.ll, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004 and section 12 of Advance Fee Fraud Act, 2016.
Anidi, however, adjourned the matter till April 7 for hearing.
