By UGOCHI JOY UGOCHUKWU

The police on Wednesday arraigned a 26-year-old lawyer, Ekunife Emmanuel, in a Lugbe Grade I Area Court Abuja for allegedly assaulting a commercial s*x worker.

The police charged Emmanuel, of Jahi Abuja with criminal breach of trust, assault, causing hurt and inciting disturbance, an offence he denied committing.

Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Olisaemeka Okeke, told the court that the complainant, Queeneth John, a commercial s*x worker of Wuse Zone 5 Abuja, reported the matter at Asokoro police station on March 12.

Okeke said the complainant claimed that on March 11 at about 10: p.m. the defendant approached her at Wuse where she was hawking and took her to Bannex Plaza and demanded for s*x.

He said the defendant also took the complainant to a Hotel Guzape and promised to pay her N 50,000 after having s*x with her.

Okeke told the court that the defendant had s*x with the complainant and when she demanded for her money he refused to pay her the money as he promised.

He said in the process the defendant started beating the complainant as a result she sustained bruises all over her body.

He said when the defendant was brought to Asokoro Police Station he started videoing the station and the police officers on duty thereby inciting disturbance in a public office.

The prosecutor said during police investigation, the defendant made a confessional statement.

Okeke said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 365, 244 and 114 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Aliyu Kagarko, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1 million and a surety in like sum.

“I hereby grant the defendant bail in line with section 165(2) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to deposit 10 per cent of the bail sum at the court registry pending the determination of the case.

He ordered that the surety must be a legal practitioner of not less than 5 years in practice and must summit his or her call to bar certificate.

He said the surety must reside within the court jurisdiction and adjourned the case until April 18 for hearing. (Text, excluding headline: NAN)

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