Two chinese men, Chen Gang, 47 and Zhao
Weidong, 31, have been arraigned at the Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court,
Lagos State, for allegedly conspiring to rape a 20-year-old Nigerian
lady, Oluchi Chukwuemeka.
The incident was said to have happened at Railway Compound in the Ebute Meta area of Lagos.
The men were said to be employees of a popular Chiense construction firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Company.
Our correspondent learnt that Chen Gang was the chief cook of the company, while Chukwuemeka was his assistant.
He was said to have made several sexual overtures to the girl who ignored them.
When the pressures became much, Chukwuemeka was said to have reported the harassment to the policemen guarding the company.
Things came to a head on the night of
September 15, 2013, when Chukwuemeka, who was on a salary of N24,000
per month, was allegedly lured into the store by Gang.
As the victim entered the store,
thinking she was being sent on a genuine assignment, she was said to
have been followed by the defendant.
He allegedly locked the door and began to forcefully unbutton the 20-year-old dress and pull down her trousers.
The girl, however, began shouting, which drew the attention of people nearby, including the policemen.
The second defendant, Weidong, was said
to have rushed to the store and seized the girl’s phone. He allegedly
dumped it in the toilet.
One of the policemen, however, ran after him and recovered the phone in the water closet.
Both men were arrested and arraigned on
Wednesday on seven counts of attempted rape, sexual harassment, indecent
assault, perversion of justice and willful damage of Chukwuemeka’s
handset.
The charge read in part, “That you, Chen
Gang, on the 15th day of September, 2013, at about 8pm at China Civil
Engineering Constructing Company, Federal Road, Railway Compound, Ebute
Meta, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did attempt to rape one
Oluchi Chukwuemeka.
“That you, Chen Gang, on the same date,
place and time, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did sexually
harassed one Oluchi Chukwuemeka by struggling with her in an attempt to
have unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
“That you, Zhao Weidong, on the same
date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did willfully
destroy a Nokia-200 handset by throwing it into the toilet, property of
one Oluchi Chukwuemeka.”
The prosecutor, Inspector Moses
Uaedmuvbo, said the offences were punishable under Sections 260, 262,
134(2), 170, 91, 97, 348 of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State,
Nigeria, 2011.
Gang and Weidong pleaded not guilty.
The defence counsel, Fidelis Osordi, pleaded that the accused be granted bail in liberal terms.
The magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola,
admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of 100,000 with two
responsible sureties who must be gainfully employed with evidence of tax
payment. The matter was adjourned till October 17.
As of the time our correspondent left
the court, the defendants were still in police custody, while a Black
Maria had been brought to convey them to the Ikoyi Prison.
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