A Family Court in Benin, on Wednesday, remanded two men, Chigozie Enuma, 25 and Isaac Agbontaen, 32, in Oko Correctional Centre for allegedly raping a 20-year-old woman.
The defendants were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, abduction, rape and having unlawful carnal knowledge of the complainant without her consent.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adamaigbo Dorothy, ordered the remand of the defendants in the correctional custody and adjourned the case till March 25, for hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Ifidon Daniel had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Jan. 1, along with others now at large, in Ikponmwose street, off Adolor road, Benin.
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He said that the defendants conspired with other two men now at large, to abduct the 20-year-old woman and forcefully and unlawfully had carnal knowledge of her without her consent.
The prosecutor further told the court that the defendants, after abducting the victim, put her in a tricycle with Registration Number: Ben 304 QH and took her to an unknown destination where they jointly raped her.
He said that the defendants, after committing the crime, absconded with the tricycle to Ebonyi State where they were arrested by the police in Ebonyi, along with the tricycle.
He added that the police in Ebonyi contacted their counterpart in Edo, after which the defendants were brought back to the state to face trial.
Daniel further argued that granting the defendants bail would jeopardise the investigation.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 516, 357, 361 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II of the Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that any person, who commits the offence of rape, is liable, upon conviction, to life imprisonment, with or without caning.
