A Magistrate Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, has transferred alleged rape case of Moses Armstrong, Nollywood actor to the state High Court for trial.
Police arrested the actor in June 2022 for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl about three years ago.
The alleged victim, who was said to have been schooling outside Nigeria, returned to the country recently and petitioned the wife of the state governor with respect to the rape allegation.
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When the actor was arraigned on Tuesday, July 19, the presiding judge, Maureen Udoka, struck out a suit by the prosecution seeking to remand the actor.
The judge dismissed the suit when A. Nyong Essien, who is the prosecutor, mentioned that it has been filed at the state high court.
This means a hearing on the suit would be at the state high court subsequently.
The development makes it the second time that different judges would strike out the suit.
Nyong Essien had earlier prayed the court to also remand the actor when he was arraigned last month.
But Samuel Ukoima, the first Magistrate Judge, who handled the case, had also dismissed the suit, saying it lacked merit.
The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) had earlier suspended the actor over the rape allegation
