Ochanya Ogbanje: See what judge did to the case of 13-year-old Benue girl raped to death

The Ministry of Justice in Benue has transferred the trial of Andrew Ogbuja, who is accused of raping a minor to death, from a Chief Magistrate’s Court to a State High Court in Makurdi.

The ministry, on Thursday, transmitted a legal advice notifying the Chief Magistrate that charges had been entered against the suspect at the State High Court, Makurdi.

According to the Commissioner of Justice, Mr Mike Gusa, the action followed an order by Gov. Samuel Ortom directing the ministry to take up prosecution of the rape and homicide case entered against Ogbuja.

He, however, stated that no date had been fixed for hearing in the case.

“The only thing I can confirm for now is that hearing in the case will be expeditious, given the attention on the matter by international communities,” he said.

It was gathered that the case, which was adjourned for mention on Thursday, Nov 29, 2018, at the Makurdi Chief Magistrate’s Court, did not hold because the magistrate was absent.

Meanwhile, the wife of the suspect, Felicia Ogbuja, has fled her home after the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), sent a letter asking her to appear at its headquarters in Abuja.

Recall that Ochanya had battled Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and other health complications at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi after being allegedly severely abused by one Andrew Ogboja, Head of Department, Catering and Hotel Management at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State, and his son, Victor Inalegwu Ogboja, a final year student of Animal Production at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.