| Magistrate orders the arrest of alleged "Rapist Colonel of Nigerian Army" Nov 28th 2012, 20:49  | | Pseudonym Picture |
A Kaduna Chief Magistrates' Court 13, on Wednesday ordered the arrest of an Army officer, Lt. Col. Azinge Williams, over the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl.
The order was issued following the failure of the accused to appear before the court, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. The court had on November 25 ordered that the accused be duly served, and according to the court's registrar the summon was served through the Commandant of the Nigeria Defence Academy. The commandant, however, in a letter to the court, returned the summon, claiming that the accused had been transferred to Benin. Counsel to the complainant, Mr. Dyagas Ezekeil, decried the manner in which the Nigerian Army was handling the issue, urging the court to compel it to trace the accused and serve him properly. The lawyer also prayed the court to issue a bench warrant against the colonel "so that he can face the law." Williams was accused of raping the girl on October 22 in Kaduna after luring her to his house on the pretext of sending her on an errand. The offence contravened Sections 272, 282, 285, 327 and 397 of the Penal Code. Senior Magistrate Sa'adatu Sambo issued a bench warrant against the accused and said the order should be served through the Chief of Army Staff and the Commandant of the NDA. Sambo adjourned the case till December 5, for continuation of hearing.Pungent Comments By Osa. The offense is serious enough, not to appears is arrant disregard for the rule of law of the land. This has been the norm with men in uniform, they believe their uniform makes them stand above the law. You may be suprise to see attempt to arrest him turn into uprising from those low ranking, who think an officer must be above the law. The judge spoke rightly, the interest of the girl must be served by the law. Is the Chief of staff taking notice, and has he ordered the officer to obey the law of the land, they are supposed to serve.Punch "There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit." Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, (1769 – 1821).  |  |
