Court slams N5m bail on man for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl

AN FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja, on Tuesday slammed five million naira bail on a 27-year-old man, Jacob Shiloba, for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.

The Vacation Judge, Justice Silvanus Oriji, granted bail to the defendant after the defendant pleaded not guilty to a count charge of rape.

Oriji ordered the defendant to produce two sureties in like sum and that one of them must be a civil servant on grade level 14 residing in the FCT.

He said that the case would be assigned to a judge by the Chief Judge after the vacation.

Shiloba, who resides at Sauka, Airport Road, Opposite Immigration Office, Abuja, is standing trial a count charge of rape.

The Prosecutor, Mr Aonduna Orti, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 24.

He said that the defendant raped the 16-year-old girl of Government Girls Secondary School, Kuje.

“The defendant intentionally penetrated into the private part of the girl without her consent,” he said.

Orti said the defendant was arrested on May 10 after taking his statement.

He was granted administrative bail, but he was unable to meet the bail conditions.

The offence contravened Section 1 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Valentina Nwachukwu, applied for the bail of his client.

The judge directed that the defendant is remanded in prison custody until he met his bail conditions.