A child defilement case involving a 26-year-old man, Jonathan Okoronkwo has taken a serious turn as a magistrate ordered his remand at Afara Correctional Centre in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
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Okoronkwo is accused of defiling a three-year-old girl, an allegation that has stirred outrage in the local community of Ugwuafor Arochukwu, Arochukwu Local Government Area.
The defendant appeared before Chief Magistrates Court 2, Umuahia, where he was arraigned on a one-count charge under the Abia State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law of 2019.
The alleged offence, said to have occurred on 15 March 2025, contravenes Section 7, sub-sections 1 and 2 of the law, which prescribes strict penalties for sexual violence against minors.
Police prosecutor Chinyeaka Njoku told the court that the gravity of the offence warranted a custodial remand, emphasising the weight of potential punishment if the accused is convicted.
The prosecution strongly opposed the bail application filed by the defence counsel, Barrister Okocha, who argued that Okoronkwo would not abscond and had credible sureties.
However, Chief Magistrate Ijeoma Nwankwo sided with the prosecutor, citing the rising frequency of such crimes and the likelihood of the accused fleeing justice.
The court held that the severity of the offence and the maximum punishment it carries increase the risk of evasion, hence the decision to remand the defendant until further proceedings.
The matter has been adjourned to 26 June 2025 for mention. The court assumed jurisdiction under Section 100 of the Abia State Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
In an emotional statement outside the courtroom, the victim’s mother, Onyinyechi Abia accused the defendant of infecting her daughter with sexually transmitted diseases.
She described her ongoing struggle to manage the child’s medical condition and called on the judiciary to deliver justice swiftly and decisively.
The case has sparked renewed calls for stricter enforcement of child protection laws in Abia State and across Nigeria.
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