Ini Billie, Uyo
Rape suspect, one Israel Sunday Effiong, accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has fled to the Republic of Cameroon.
Effiong, who is currently on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police Force, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape and was granted bail of N400,000.
The father of two, from Afaha Ekpene Edi in Esit Eket, was said to have jumped bail on January 18, 2022, and escaped to Cameroon.
Following Sunday’s escape, the presiding judge of Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Eket, Justice Pius Idiong, ordered the arrest of the fleeing rapist’s father, Mr Samuel Effiong Namudo, who stood as his surety.
Justice Idiong also directed the Inspector General of Police in conjunction with other security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest and produce the suspect.
The judge ruled on the application brought by the prosecuting state counsel for the court to cancel the bail of the accused person and order the police to arrest him in Cameroon to stand trial until the case is dispensed with by the court.
The state counsel also urged the court to order the father of the accused to show cause why he should not forfeit the bond.
The father had told the court that since his son travelled to Cameroon, he has pleaded with him to return home, but the accused was said to have vowed that he would rather die in Cameroon than return to Nigeria to face the charge.
To this, Justice Idiong, ruled that although the surety has forfeited the N400,000 bond, it does not relieve his son of his liability to stand trial for the offence of rape, which he was arraigned in court.