Man held for impregnating 23-year-old lady

A 27-year-old man, Monday Apokwo, has been arraigned for allegedly, kidnapping a 23-year-old lady. Apokwo, who is facing charges of abduction before an Upper Area Court in Karu, Abuja, contrary to  Section 272 of the Penal Code was also alleged to have  impregnated  the lady in question,
Grace Akpan.
Prosecutor Silas Nanpam told the court that the complainant, Akpan Udoh, of Aso Gbagalape village, Nyanya, Abuja, reported the case at the Nyanya Police Station on July 30, 2012.
Apokwo was said  to have taken   the complainant’s daughter, to his house without the consent of the father, leaving her presently, with a  three months old pregnancy.
However,  he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Udo, in his testimony, told the court that the accused started a love relationship with his daughter through frequent visits to the area where he lives with his family.
He said that the accused had a friend he usually visits in the area, adding: “I warned Apokwo to leave my daughter several times. I told him to leave her alone as she is only a student but he refused.
“When I noticed my daughter’s disappearance from home and found out she was with him. I reported to the police,’’ he testified.
When questioned by the police, the prosecutor said Apkowo said he would marry the girl.
He further told  the court that he loved the girl and that he had gone to pay her dowry twice but the father refused to accept it.
Udoh, on the other hand, vowed never to accept the Akokwo’s proposal to marry his daughter, saying: “Apokwo is rude, irresponsible and disrespectful’’.
Grace told the court that she stays at the accused’s house because her father drove her away when he noticed she was pregnant.
She said that her father told her never to come back home until she was delivered of the baby and had given the baby to the accused.
The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, advised Apokwo to leave the girl alone since the father disapproves of it.
Kagarko also advised Udoh to forgive his daughter as the damage had already been done and her actions were based on ignorance.
He adjourned the case to December 20, 2012  for cross examination.