Israel Effiong of Afaha Ekpene Edi, Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, standing trial on a rape case has failed to appear before the court.
According to findings, Effiong has absconded to Cameroon. He was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl from the same community.
The trial judge, justice Pius Idiong has directed the Inspector-General of Police, in conjunction with other security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest and produce the accused from Cameroon.
Justice Idiong ruled on the application brought by the prosecuting State Counsel for the Court to cancel the bail of the accused person.
The accused, a father of two children, had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of four hundred thousand Naira.
He is said to have jumped bail on January 18, 2022, prompting the trial Judge, Justice Idiong to order the arrest of his father, Mr. Samuel Effiong Namudo, who stood in as his surety.
The State Counsel had also urged the Court to order the father of the accused to show cause why he should not forfeit the bond.
The father had told the Court that since his son travelled to Cameroon, he has been pleading with him to return home, but he has vowed that he would rather die in Cameroon, than return to Nigeria to face the charge.
Justice Pius Idiong, who is the Administrative Judge, Eket Judicial Division of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, ruled that although the surety has forfeited the four hundred thousand Naira bond, it does not relief his son of his liability to stand trial for the offense of rape, which he was arraigned in Court.
