By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos – An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Friday admitted a 22-year-old man, Azeez Fatai, to a bail of N300,000 over alleged attempt to defile his co-tenant’s three-year-old daughter.
Fatai, who resides at No. 43, Town Hall St., Amukoko, a Lagos suburb, pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted child defilement.
Chief Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi, who gave the ruling, ordered the accused to produce two sureties in like sum.
Osunsanmi said the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The prosecutor, Insp. Simeon Imhonwa, had earlier told the court that the accused committed the offence on Sept. 6 at 3.00 p.m. at his apartment.
“The accused attempted to defile the minor. The complainant (the minor’s mother) reported to the police that the accused was attempting to forcefully have a carnal knowledge of the minor before he was caught.”
Imhonwa said the complainant had left the minor in the care of the accused while she went out to carry out some duties.
The prosecutor said the complainant allegedly caught the accused while trying to defile her daughter by attempting to forcefully enter her private part.
The offence contravened Section 262 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence carries life imprisonment.
The case was adjourned until Nov. 23 for mention.