Court remands Bayelsa APC leader in prison for alleged rape

A politician in Bayelsa, Chief Perekeme Kpodo, has been remanded in prison by the magistrates’ court for alleged

According to a report by Punch, Kpodo, a leader of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, was remanded by Magistrate E.T. Empire-Ugwa on two counts of unlawful detention and rape of the victim on Friday, July 27, 2018.

Charges against Bayelsa APC leader, Kpodo

According to the charge sheet, Kpodo, a former Security Adviser to the Bayelsa State Government, was alleged to have detained the victim on June 2 at the Etegwe area of Yenagoa with the intent to defile her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 155 of the Criminal Code of the state.

On count two, the politician was said to have, on the day he allegedly detained the lady, raped her, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 285 of the Criminal Code.

Kpodo pleaded not guilty to the two charges when read to him during the court proceedings in Bayelsa on Friday, July 27.

Kpodo remanded despite plea of bail on health grounds

Despite plea by Kpodo’s lawyer, Julius Iyekoroghe, represented by Funlayeifa Seibokuru, for Kpodo’s bail on grounds of ill-health and self-recognition, Magistrate Empire-Ugwa remanded him in prison till August 10, 2018.

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Though Kpodo's lawyer argued that he was hypertensive and suffered other sicknesses, the prosecution lawyer, Ayibatonye Jumbo, opposed the bail application.

Jumbo argued that being a politician and influential businessman, granting Kpodo bail could jeopardise the case as he could interfere with the witnesses of the prosecution.

This is a political attack - Kpodo

The accused, Kpodo, has alleged that he was being victimised for criticising Governor Seriake Dickson’s government.

Kpodo, who made the statement outside the court premises said, “This trial is politically motivated; the case was reported in June to the police. The girl in question made the allegation as a tool of blackmail to cover up a fraud allegation of N500,000 and the case was withdrawn when the family apologised to me.

“But the government has been mounting pressure on the girl to come up and the girl spoke on the phone to my hearing that the matter was closed. Only yesterday, July 26, more than 30 policemen came to arrest me on the orders of Governor Dickson because I spoke out against his government. I shall not be intimidated. I am not going to keep quiet. The battle has just begun.’’