Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji has directed the immediate
removal from the Board of the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development
Commission (ASOPADEC), the Director of Administration representing the
Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in the board, Mr. Christian
Onuoha for allegedly raping to death an 11 year old girl.
Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia, the Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Dr. ACB Agbazuere said that given the heinous
nature of the crime which is rape of a minor and murder, Mr. Onuoha has
also been placed on interdiction pending the determination of his case by
the police and the court.
According to the Commissioner, the state Civil Service Commission has also
been directed to take necessary action as the case moves on.
He made it clear that the said Onuoha is only a civil servant representing
the Ministry of Petroleum in the board of ASOPADEC and not a commissioner
in the state government as is alleged in some quarters.
The Information boss who stated that Section 358 of the Criminal Code of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria is explicit on the issue of rape also
revealed that the punishment for rape is life imprisonment, adding that
since the victim is dead, the issue of murder comes in and the penalty
for such offence is death by hanging.