A Chief Magistrate's Court in Awka (Anambra State) has remanded Sunday Muoghalu, a 75-year-old man, in prison for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl he had in his custody.

Recall that last weekend, a video of the minor, who was impregnated by Muoghalu, her guardian went viral on the internet which prompted a swift response from the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo.

The girl was rescued by the emergency response team and the suspect was arrested on Sunday, December 11.

Muoghalu, who resides at Umuoruka village, Awka, was on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, brought before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting in Awka, and presided over by Judge Genevieve Osakwe.

He was arraigned on three counts of defilement, carnal knowledge, emotional, verbal and psychological abuse.

Ruling on the bail application by the defense Counsel to the defendant, the presiding court noted that the rate of rape and defilement of minors in the state is alarming; adding that the defendant is old enough to be the grandfather of the complainant.

The chief Magistrate went further to state that although the counsel to the defendant prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on the grounds of having acute diabetes and hypertension, he failed to present any medical report or hospital extract to that effect.

The court, however, refused bail for the defendant and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody; while urging the prosecuting counsel to forward the police case file to the Office of the DPP, Ministry of Justice to enable it to file information before the High Court.

Present during the court hearing is the former Minister, of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Aninih.