Nollywood actor Moses Armstrong was charged with the rape of a minor and supplying abortion drugs by a State High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on Wednesday, August 10, 2022.

The four charges were read to Armstrong for the first time since his arrest on June 13. The actor pleaded not guilty to the charges.

His defence counsel Emmanuel Pantaleon reminded the court of the bail application filed on behalf of his client on July 25 and sought the leave of the court to proceed to entertain it.

However, the prosecution, assistant state counsel I.U. Robert opposed the bail application, citing relevant judicial authorities and urged the court to dismiss the bail plea, which he described as an “abuse of court process.”

After hearing from both counsels, judge Ntong Ntong upheld the defence counsel’s application, granting bail to Mr Armstrong to the sum of N5 million.

A Special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Moses Armstrong, was arrested in June by men of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old girl.

The minor is allegedly a teenage girl whom he adopted and has been living with his family.

Armstrong was first arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Uyo on June 17, but the case was struck out after the Magistrate, Samuel Ukoima, ruled that the matter was not properly filed.

Reacting to the news of his arrest, Emeka Rollas, president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, described the case as “a very serious one” while announcing the actor’s suspension.

“To get involved with a child as young as 16yrs is not something I and the association I do not represent, would not stand for. This is a very sad development involving a member of ours, but I wouldn’t want to comment any further on this case,” he said.

Rollas distancing himself from Armstrong’s actions, revealed that the case is being handled by the first lady of Akwa Ibom State, Martha Udom Emmanuel, through her Family Empowerment and Youth Re-Orientation Path Initiative.