Nigeria, Aug. 5 -- The Ogun State High Court in Ilaro has struck out a rape charge filed against a former lecturer at Covenant University, Ota, Stephen Ukenna.

According to a Certified True Copy of the court's ruling seen on Tuesday by PREMIUM TIMES, the judge, A. A. Shobayo on 5 June 2024 granted the application of the state's Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) to withdraw the case.

The case, marked HCT/78C/2021, was struck out after the prosecution lawyer, O. Osunsami, informed the court that efforts to bring witnesses to testify had been unsuccessful.

The defence lawyer, A. Mbuko, who held brief for R. Akinola, did not oppose the application.

In granting the request, Mr Shobayo ordered the case struck out.

"Defendant is hereby d...