A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, has discharged and acquitted Uche Friday Uche over allegations of assault against a minor.

The defendant was arraigned in a case marked YBS/DT/CMC-I/19/2021, filed by the Commissioner of Police, on a charge of using criminal force with intent to outrage the modesty of a girl, an offence punishable under Section 268 of the Penal Code.

Delivering his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mohammed Bilyaminu, held that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.

“The prosecution has not established a prima facie case to justify further proceedings,” he ruled, adding that the evidence presented was insufficient to sustain the charge.

Following the ruling, the court struck out the case and discharged the defendant.

The prosecution, led by M.H. Muhammad, had earlier presented its case, while defence counsel S.S. Karasuwa urged the court to dismiss the charge on the grounds of lack of merit.

Uche was initially arrested in 2021 over allegations bordering on the use of criminal force against a minor with intent to outrage her modesty.