Ex-lawmaker in Police custody for allegedly raping teenager in Cross River

The Cross River Police Command has reportedly taken custody of a former House of Assembly member, Honourable Patrick Uguge for allegedly raping his wife’s nice, a 19-year old.

Human Rights lawyer James Ibor of Basic Right Council Initiative (BRCI), hinted our correspondent in Calabar, that the suspect committed the crime at a hotel in Ogoja on April 21, 2023, was reported and has been taken to Police Custody for investigation on Thursday night.

Ibor decried the alarming rate of rape, and called for the protection of vulnerable demographies.

“A young girl, 19-years old, walked into our office, and alleged that her daddy, (because she calls the man her daddy, having lived with him for about three years now). She (the victim) is a Nice to the man’s wife known as Right Honourable Patrick Uguge. Uguge was a two-term House of Assembly member who represented Ogoja state constituency between 2007 to 2015.

“The suspect alleged that on the 21st day of April, 2023, the man rapped her in a hotel at Ogoja. When the girl came to us , we had to verify and confirm her story, we put up a petition to the Police, and they have commenced investigation and taken custody of the man.

“Rape is a felony and the rate if sexual abuse is alarming,so we need to protect the female gender from predators. We are in touch with the girls parents, who have confirmed that the suspect was still a virgin before she was rapped,” Barrister Ibor said.

However, when contacted, the Cross River State Police Commissioner, CP Balarabe Sule, said he is yet to look into the matter, or confirm the arrest of the suspect, but assured that we will do so.