The suspects, Eyitayo Charles (22), Adeboboye Damilola (20) and Blessing Michael (24), were ordered to be remanded in police custody.
A chief magistrate's court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has remanded three men suspected to have gang-raped a female student of Ondo State College of Technology Akure.
The suspects, Eyitayo Charles (22), Adeboboye Damilola (20) and Blessing Michael (24), were ordered to be remanded in police custody.
They were arraigned on today (Monday) by the Ondo State Police Command an eight-count charge bordering on rape, robbery, and cultism.
The victim (name withheld) is a first-year student in Environment Health and Technician Department.
She was assaulted and raped last August at an off-campus hostel known as Barrister Lodge along Oda Road in the state.
According to the charge sheet, offences of the three suspects were punishable under section 6 (a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special provisions) Act Cap Roll Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Abdu-Lateef Suleiman, the police prosecutor in the case argued that the suspects should be remanded in prison custody.
But Toye Adeyanju, counsel to the first and third defendants told the court that he was served the charges on Monday.
He argued that all charges against the defendants ought to have been served on them at least 40 hours before the sitting of the court.
Adeyanju, however, rejected the application of the police asking the magistrate to remand the suspects in Olokuta Maximum Prison.
A counsel to the second defendant, Banjo Ayenakin, corroborated the argument of the first counsel, explaining that he was also served the charges against the suspect on Monday morning.
Ruling on the application, Mrs. Victoria Bob-Manuel said the three suspects should be remanded in police custody and adjourned the case until 5 September.
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