Instagram: Five men rape ladies in hotel, demand ransom

Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Lagos, yesterday remanded in prison custody five men, who allegedly lured two female Instagram users into a hotel, gangraped them while demanding ransom from their families. Nwaka remanded the accused following the request by the state prosecuting counsel, Mrs. O. Akinsete, to keep them in prison custody.
They accused – Gabriel Obinna (20), Nnadozie Akabueze (21),
Hector Ugochukwu (32), Chinedu Ezechukwu (21) and Godwin Balogun (24) – are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping and rape. All the accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Akinsete said the defendants committed the offences at 4.30p.m. on July 25, 2016 at the Happy Hour Hotel, Agege, Lagos.
She said: “The defendants posed as a female called Vanessa on social media platforms like Instagram and tinder. “They befriended and lured the complainant A (name withheld) and Complainant B (name withheld) each 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.”
Akinsete, however, urged the court to remand all accused in prison custody, after they had taken their not guilty plea. The prosecutor said the offences violated Sections 260(1), 271(3) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011.
The judge further adjourned the case till February 15 for trial.
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