A
two-year-old toddler, Precious (pseudonym) has been raped by one Azeez
Ganiyu, after she was abducted from her residence on Giwa Street, Ijora
Badia, Lagos State.
The incident happened on April 16 at
about 10am after the victim’s mother left her in a room with a neighbour
to buy food at a nearby shop.
It was gathered that 16-year-old Ganiyu abducted the girl when she walked outside to play with other children.
He
reportedly took her to an uncompleted building, said to be a few
kilometers away from the victim parents’ house, and raped her.
It
was learnt that Precious’ mother and neighbours were thrown into
confusion when they did not see the girl in the surroundings.
After
minutes of fruitless search, the mother heard a baby screaming and
traced the voice to the uncompleted building, where she allegedly met
Ganiyu committing the crime.
Precious was said to have been taken to a hospital where it was medically confirmed that she had been raped.
The suspect, who also resides in the community, was later arrested by the police at the Ijora Badia Police Division.
The police subsequently arraigned Ganiyu before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on one count of rape.
The
charge read, “That you, Azeez Abdulganiyu (16), on April 16, 2015, at
about 10am on Giwa Street, Ijora Badia, Lagos in the Apapa Magisterial
District, did unlawfully have carnal knowledge of a two-year-old girl.”
The
police prosecutor, Inspector Olusoji Ojaokomo, told the court that the
offence contravened provisions of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of
Lagos State, 2011.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty before the presiding magistrate, Mr. P.A. Adekomaya.
The
magistrate thus ordered that the defendant’s case file be transferred
to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
Adekomaya thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of tax payment to the court.
The case was adjourned till May 5, 2015.
Credit: Afeez Hanafi/Punch Metro
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