70 Year Old Man Jailed for Rape and Murder of Teen Girl

Enugu— 70-year-old Mr. Anthony Mgbe from Umuagu, Inyi, Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State has been placed behind bars by a magistrate court in Enugu. The charges stem from the harrowing allegations that he raped and murdered a 15-year-old girl.

Facing a two-count charge presented by the police, Mr. Mgbe is accused of engaging in “unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor,” as outlined in Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the criminal Code, Cap. 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004. The second charge pertains to “unlawful killing by having unlawful carnal knowledge of the minor,” resulting in her tragic demise, an offense punishable under Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Law of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.

The severity of the allegations led the magistrate court to deny bail, and the case is scheduled for further proceedings on November 22, 2023. The information surfaced through the official social media handle of Women Aid Collective, WACOL, an organization committed to addressing violence against women.

WACOL revealed that concerned community members first reported the case, expressing that Mr. Mgbe had a history of violence against women and girls. Despite his previous ability to evade justice, the family of the deceased sought protection from WACOL. The organization, in turn, took legal action by petitioning the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, leading to Mr. Mgbe’s arrest and subsequent court charges.

The Women Aid Collective stated in a released statement, “In the light of this, the family of the deceased sought protection from WACOL and legal intervention to ensure that the perpetrator faced the full wrath of the law. Following a petition sent by the WACOL legal team to the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mgbe was arrested and charged to court.”