Ex Bayelsa Security Adviser’s rape trial: Prosecution closes case

The prosecution in the ongoing rape trial of Chief Richard Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to ex-Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa on Thursday concluded its case a Bayelsa High Court.

The Bayelsa state government prosecuting team led by Andrew Arthur Esq called a total of four witnesses who testified before the court.

The victim, a 26 year old, had earlier testified alongside her Uncle and a medical doctor who examined her on June 9 after she was allegedly raped the previous day.

It would be recalled that Kpodo, was on July 31, 2018 arraigned for alleged rape at State High Court 7 in Yenagoa.

Kpodo was charged on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of the victim, a 26 year old female cashier at the hotel run by the accused.

At the resumed trial of the rape case, the trial judge, Justice E Eradiri listened to the testimony of the remaining two witnesses, Mr Ebi Teike, elder brother to the victim and Mr Benson Joseph, an Assistant Superintendent of Police who investigated the rape complaint at the Bayelsa Police Command.

In his testimony Teike told the court that the accused had earlier admitted committing the offence and asked for forgiveness , which prompted the family to withdraw the case at Ekeki Police Division.

“The accused had told the family that he was sorry for what happened and promised to take care of the medical bills of my sister and as Christians we are bound to forgive, and we withdrew the matter earlier.

“The withdrawal was done on the grounds that the accused will foot the medical bills of the victim but he reneged and turned round to say that I want to kidnap him when I approached him for the medical bills at his hotel.

‘It was based on his reneging on his part that made us to push the case forward and the state government took up the prosecution,” he said.

In his testimony to the court, the investigating police officer, Joseph said that the accused was known to him as he had earlier investigated a rape allegation against the accused in 2017.

Joseph said that his investigations involved analyzing available evidence which included statements made by the victim, witnesses and the accused including medical reports.

The defence counsel in the rape trial Julius Iyekoroghe cross examined the two witnesses before the prosecution closed its case.

The case was adjourned to October 31 for defense.