Lagos- Godswill David, a 20-year-old son of a landlord, on Monday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over an alleged defilement of a10-year-old minor.
The accused, who resides at Ikota Housing Estate in Lagos, is facing a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a tenant’s niece in his father’s house .
The prosecutor, DSP Etim Nkankuk, told the court that the offence was committed on Oct.9 at 2. 00 p.m. at the residence of the accused.
Nkankuk told the court that the father of the accused was the landlord of the victim’s aunt and the accused took advantage of that relationship to lure the victim into his apartment.
“The accused had asked his victim to bring a soap for him, a request which the victim obliged to.
“The accused followed the victim inside the room and pushed her on to his bed and he had an unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
“The victim ran out and reported what happened between them to her aunt.
“The police arrested the accused after the victim’s aunt had lodged a complaint at the police station,” Nkankuk said.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 prescribes that any person who has sexual intercourse with a child is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.A Demi-Ajayi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Demi –Ajayi said that the sureties should deposit N30,000 into the account of the Chief Registrar of Lagos State.
She ordered that the sureties must also show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Also, the directed that they must be residing in Lagos and show genuine means of livelihood.
The chief magistrate also directed that the case file should be duplicated and sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.
She adjourned the case till Jan.19, 2105 for further hearing.(NAN)
banker of the day - FREE banker tips from experts