Actor Moses Armstrong has been charged with rape, conspiracy, intimidation and supplying of drugs to procure abortion.
The four charges were read to Moses in a State High Court in Uyo for the first time since he was first arrested on June 13, defense counsel, Emmanuel Pantaleon, told PREMIUM TIMES in August 10.
The prosecution, I.U. Robert, an assistant state counsel, while opposing bail application, cited relevant judicial authorities and urged the court to dismiss the application which he described as an “abuse of court process.”
The Judge, Ntong Ntong, after hearing submissions from both counsels upheld the defense counsel’s application and granted bail to Mr Armstrong in the sum of N5 million.
A Magistrate Court Judge, Moreen Udoka had last month struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction after she was briefed by the prosecution that the case has been entered at a High Court in the state.
The first Judge, Samuel Ukoima, whose court Mr Armstrong was first arraigned on June 17, had also struck out the prosecution’s remand application on the basis that it was not properly filed. Ukoima ordered that the actor be rearrested after the case had been properly filed.
WITHIN NIGERIA reported that the police arrested Moses in June for allegedly having sex with a minor. He allegedly committed the act with a 16-year-old girl about three years ago.
The alleged victim, who was said to have been schooling abroad, returned to the country recently and petitioned Martha Udom Emmanuel, the wife of the state governor with respect to the rape allegation.