The Chief Magistrate Court in Akure, Ondo State, has ruled that James James Emmanuel, a 35-year-old labourer, be held in custody for allegedly raping and killing his 55-year-old coworker, Mrs Deborah Abiodun.
The defendant was accused of committing the crime at a poultry farm in the Oke-Odu region, off Ilere, on Ijare Road in Akure.
James, who was charged with two charges of murder and rape, allegedly raped her to death, beat her with a stone on the head, and put her body in a garbage hole.
Earlier, Anwana Josephine, the police prosecutor, stated the court that the suspect committed the offense on January 17, 2024, at approximately 11 p.m.
Anwana stated that the offence violated Section 357 and was penalized under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State, Nigeria, 2006.
The charge sheet read: “That you James Emmanuel’m’ on the 17th day of January, 2024 at about 11.00pm at Ilere, on Ijare Road, Akure in the Akure Magisterial District, did rape Deborah Abiodun ‘f’ aged 55 years old and thus committed an offence, contrary to Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”
“That you James Emmanuel ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterai District did kill one Deborah Abiodun ‘T’ by hitting her with stone on her head and dump her corpse inside a waste pit and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006” .
In her verdict, Magistrate Folashade Aduroja, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Centre in Ondo town and adjourned the trial till March 27, 2024.
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