Five men who allegedly posed as females on social media to lure and rape two women have been remanded in prison.
Gabriel Obinna, 20, Nnadozie Akabueze, 21, Hector Ugochukwu, 32, Chinedu Ezechukwu, 21 and Godwin Balogun appeared yesterday before the newly inaugurated Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, for allegedly using social media to lure, kidnap and rape two women in Lagos.
They however denied the six-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and rape.
The prosecutor, Mrs O. Akinsete, said the defendants committed the offences at 4.30pm at the Happy Hour Hotel, Agege, Lagos, on July 25, 2016.
“The defendants posed as a female called Vanessa on social media platforms like Instagram and Tinder.
“They befriended and lured the two complainants (names withheld) to the hotel on two different occasions.
“When the women arrived the hotel instead of meeting their ‘friend’ Vanessa, they encountered the five defendants who were lying in wait.
“The complainants in their similar experiences were beaten, gang-raped by the men and forced to call family and friends to send money for their release,’’ she said.
The prosecution said the offences violated sections 260(1), 271(3) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011.
The presiding judge, Justice Sybil Nwaka, ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Kirikiri Prison and adjourned the case until Feb. 15 for trial.
(NAN)
