A housewife was yesterday arraigned before the Yaba Chief Magistrate Court as she was accused of assisting her husband to rape their maid.
37-year-old Uzoima Patrick was accused of aiding and abetting rape while her 42-year-old husband, Ezechima (pictured not the couple) is charged with rape having been accused of raping their 16-year-old housemaid, (name withheld). The incident allegedly took place at the couple’s resident at 14 Iyajesha Street, Amikonle in Alagbado, a Lagos suburb on June 1 and June 4, 2014.
According to the prosecutor, ASP Godwin Anyanwu, “Patrick conspired with his wife to defile the 16-year-old girl. Uzoima had overpowered the girl for the husband to rape her, and threatened to stab the girl with a knife if she refused to cooperate.”
He said the offences contravened Sections 137, 258 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 258 stipulates life imprisonment for rape. The couple has denied the charge.
In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Yewande Aje-Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Further hearing in the case was fixed for 22 September.
