ABUJA, Nigeria – A 20-year-old, Onoja Kingsley, was arraigned on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, before a Wuse Zone II Magistrates’ Court for allegedly making false claims that his genitals had “disappeared”.
Kingsley, who currently has no fixed address, faces multiple charges including joint act, causing grievous hurt, attempted culpable homicide, theft, and disseminating false information to the public.
Kingsley entered a plea of not guilty in response to the charges levied against him.
Prosecuting counsel, E.A Inegbenoise, informed the court that the case had been reported on Oct. 7 by Ndifreke Ebong of Gaduwa Estate, Abuja.
Ebong, in the company of several church members, had been distributing flyers in the FCT in preparation for an upcoming Sunday service.
Inegbenoise recounted that around 6:30 pm near AP Filing Station, Ebong had handed a flyer to Kingsley and other members of a group, now at large.
Kingsley then accused Ebong of stealing his manhood, leading to a brutal attack on Ebong by Kingsley’s associates, during which he was beaten, stabbed, and robbed.
The prosecutor noted the significant injuries sustained by Ebong due to the beating. Additionally, items including a mobile phone valued at N500,000 and a wallet with essential documents were reported stolen during the incident.
During police interrogation, Kingsley admitted that his claims about his “disappeared manhood” were false and that it was “back and performing normal.”
Highlighting that the charges are in violation of sections 80, 248, 229, 287, and 178 of the Penal Code, the prosecutor strongly objected to Kingsley’s bail, citing his lack of a fixed address and potential hindrance to ongoing investigations.
However, Magistrate Abba Bello countered, “bail is at the discretion of the court and shall be exercised judiciously.”
The magistrate eventually set bail at N1 million with stipulations for a surety residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
Further, the surety’s address must be verified by both the prosecutor and the court’s registrar before Kingsley’s release.
The next hearing for this case is scheduled for Nov. 20.
