The Nation Newspaper

Tag: defiling

  • Trader remanded for allegedly defiling minor

    A Birnin Kebbi Magistrates’ Court in Kebbi State has remanded a 25-year-old trader, Faruk Abubakar, in prison for allegedly defiling a six-year-old girl.

    The Magistrate, Mr. Abubakar Atiku, said the court could not rely on first information report to hear the case and asked the prosecutor to seek advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

    He ordered that the accused be remanded in prison till December 20, for hearing.

    The prosecutor, Felix Obeke, told the court that Faruk allegedly defiled the minor, about 7 pm, on November 5.

    He said the suspect, a resident of Rumbukawa in Gwandu Local Government, accosted and defiled the girl while on an errand to buy animal feeds.

    Obeke said the offence contravened Section 283 of the Penal Code.

    He said investigation was yet to be concluded.

    The accused denied the charge.

  • Man, 54, remanded for ‘defiling’ girl, 8

    A Lagos High Court in Igbosere yesterday remanded in prison custody, a 54-year-old man, Micheal Ayara, who allegedly defiled an eight-year-old girl.

    Justice Sybil Nwaka made the order pending the commencement of Ayara’s trial on October 25.

    Ayara of Mission Street, Ajegunle, Lagos, is facing a one-count charge of defilement.

    Prosecuting counsel Mr F. O. Igali alleged that the defendant unlawfully and sexually assaulted the child on August 15, 2015.

    Igali informed the court that he had five witnesses to testify against Ayara.

    Ayara pleaded not guilty.

  • ‘Prophet’, others remanded for ‘defiling minor’

    A septuagenarian farmer, James Olatoye, a prophet and two others, who allegedly defiled a 12-year-old girl, have been remanded in Omu-Aran Medium Prison, Kwara State, by an Omu-Aran Area Court.

    Olatoye of Moba Compound in Aiyedun and his accomplices: Adeyeye Suleiman, 35, Toyin Adesina, 35, who claimed to be a prophet and Ojo Olayemi, 20, are facing trial for gross indecency.

    They were alleged to have subjected their victim to an act of indecency by defiling her at various times between 2016 and 2017 at Aiyedun.

    Olatoye and Suleiman pleaded guilty. Adesina (the prophet) and Olayemi pleaded not guilty.

    The Judge, Abolade Banigbe, said: “But for lack of jurisdiction, the first and second accused would have been given summary trial for their guilty stance.

    “Olatoye and Suleiman would have known their fate today, but area courts are not empowered to try summarily under Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

    “The accused will have to be remanded in prison custody for the prosecution to conclude its investigation.”

    The prosecutor, Oshage Omoh, had objected to the bail application of the accused, saying they might tamper with police investigation.

    He said the accused and their victim lived in the village when the offence was committed.

    Omoh said the offence was contrary to Section 285 of the Penal Code.

    The case was adjourned till October 26 for mention.

     

  • Guard jailed four years for defiling minor

    A 40-year-old security guard, Mr. Francis Gyang, has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by a Jos Upper Area Court in Plateau State for defiling a minor.

    The Judge, Mr. Yahaya Mohammed, convicted Gyang for defiling the six-year-old girl without an option of fine.

    According to the prosecutor, Ibrahim Gukwat, the convict, on September 21, lured the girl to his room and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

    He said the offence was contrary to Section 282 of the Penal Code.

    The accused pleaded guilty and begged for mercy.

    The judge said the sentence would act as a deterrent to others.

  • Civil servant arraigned for ‘defiling 14-year-old girl’

    A civil servant, Nathaniel Onwuegbulam, who allegedly defiled a 14-year-old pupil under his spouse’s care, has been arraigned at an Ikeja High Court in Lagos.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onwuegbulam, a resident of Ajisegiri Street, Agodo, Lagos is facing a charge of defilement.

    The accused, however, denied the charge.

    The prosecution led by Mr. Adebayo Haroun, alleged that the accused committed the offence on October 3, 2016 at his home in Lagos.

    “The complainant (name withheld) and the defendant are from the same village in Imo State.

    “She was handed over to the defendant and his wife by her parents in the village to take care of her in Lagos.

    “A social worker was alerted anonymously that the defendant was having unlawful carnal knowledge of the complainant.

    “The claim was investigated by the social worker and the minor allegedly confirmed that the abuse occurred on several occasions.

    “The authorities were alerted and the defendant was apprehended,” Haroun said.

    Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya upheld the bail conditions earlier granted to Onwuegbulam by a magistrates’ court.

    He adjourned the case till November 22 for trial.

  • Man gets eight years for defiling minors

    A 40-year-old man, simply identified as Godbless, from Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State, has been sentenced to eight years for defiling minors.

    The Chief Magistrates’ Court in Yenagoa, presided over by Utovie Spiff, convicted the suspect on two counts of unlawful sex with a four-year-old girl and unlawful carnal knowledge of a five-year-old boy.

    The Nation learnt that the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) took the case to the police.

    It was gathered that parents and guardians of victims forgave the man after receiving reports of his sexual assault on their children.

    But on September 15, Chairperson of FIDA in the state, Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, was contacted by a concerned indigene, who reported a new case of the man’s escapades to her.

    Ogbise-Erhisere, accompanied by two lawyers and members of FIDA, Boma Miebai and Amaso Daniel, reportedly lodged a complaint at Ekeki Police Station, Yenagoa.

    The police were said to have arrested and arraigned the man, who pleaded guilty to the two-count charge.

     Ogbise-Erhisere hailed the judgment, saying it was a victory for FIDA in Bayelsa.

    She said she was happy with the speedy dispensation of justice.

    The FIDA chairperson said she received a call from a neighbour.

    “I was informed by neighbours that the convict is a serial molester of children and that the mother of the girl caught him having sex with her daughter,” the FIDA chairperson said.

    She praised the police for arresting and arraigning the suspect and commended members of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) in Bayelsa for treating the victims.

  • Man admits defiling minor

    A Minna Grade 1 Magistrates’ Court in Niger State yesterday reserved judgment after a 32-year-old man, Ayuba Salihu, pleaded guilty of raping an eight-year-old girl.

    The accused, whose address is unknown, was arraigned for rape.

    Mr. Abdullahi Mayaki, prosecutor for State Child Rights Protection Agency, told the court the incident occurred on August 31, near Gwari Market, in Chanchaga Local Government.

    He said the accused lured the primary school pupil with N100 into the market before assaulting her sexually.

    The offence contravenes Section 18, sub-section 2 of Niger State Child Rights Law.

    Chief Magistrate Hassan Mohammed adjourned the case till September 12 for judgment.

    He said the adjournment would enable the prosecution get the medical expenses incurred by the girl’s parents.

  • Man, 20, ‘rapes’ girl, 6

    A 20-year-old man, Francis Yawu, was arraigned before a Surulere Chief Migistrates’ Court for allegedly detaining and defiling a six-year-old girl.

    Magistrate Aro Lambo granted him N1million bail with ordered him to two sureties in the like sum.

    Lambo said one of the sureties must be a property owner; the other, a community leader or clergyman.

    The sureties will also provide evidence of tax payments.

    Yawu who lives at 38, Zamba Street, Itire, Lagos State, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of defilement and unlawful detention.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Anthonia Osayande told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 17.

    Osayande said the accused, who lives on the same street with the victim, “unlawfully detained and indecently had carnal knowledge of the six-year-old girl.”

    The offences contravened Sections 137, 135 and 144 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

    The magistrate directed aid that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for advice. He adjourned the case till October 5.

  • Driver arraigned for ‘defiling’ 20-year-old woman

    A driver, Alaba Shodamola, who allegedly defiled a 20-year-old woman, was yesterday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Shodamola, 31, who lives at 24, Mosan Road, Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of rape.

    The prosecutor, Ishola Samuel, said the accused committed the offence on June 7 in his home.

    He said the accused told the woman that he saw a vision in which she died, urging her to follow him home to avert untimely death.

    “Shodamola lured the woman to his home where he caressed her and defiled her after tearing her underwear,” the prosecutor said.

    He said the girl reported the matter to her parents and the accused was apprehended.

    The offence, Samuel said, contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Miss A.R. Onilogbo, granted N250,000 bail to the accused with two sureties in like sum.

    She adjourned the case till August 17.

  • Vice principal gets life for defiling pupil, 12

    An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced a former Vice Principal of St. Mary’s Girls’ Grammar School at Ikole-Ekiti, Taiwo Ajayi, to life imprisonment for defiling a 12-year-old pupil.

    The court, which sat in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, found Ajayi guilty of defiling the minor, contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child Rights, Law of Ekiti State 2012.

    The convict was the Vice Principal (Academics) when he committed the offence on March 18, 2014.

    Ajayi lured the girl into his office, locked the door and defiled her on the table while blocking her mouth with a cloth.

    The court heard that when one of the teachers knocked the door, Ajayi refused to open it.

    The former vice principal was said to have threatened the teacher, if she revealed his misconduct.

    Two teachers reportedly stormed Ajayi’s office and found the door locked, but forced their way into the office, after about 30 minutes.

    They found the vice principal forcing himself on the pupil and raised the alarm.

    Justice Monisola Abodunde held that the prosecution proved its case beyond doubt with the gamut of evidence it tendered before the court.

    The prosecution was led by Mr. A. E. Arogundade of the Ministry of Justice. The defence was led by Mr. Sule Longe.

    Ajayi was first arraigned on October 14, last year. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Justice Abodunde rejected the plea for leniency by the teacher’s lawyer on the grounds that he was a first offender, a father and breadwinner of an aged mother.

    Justice Abodunde said: “Cases of child defilement have been on the increase lately and to serve as a deterrent to others, my view is that the punishment stipulated by the lawmakers was deliberate to deter the offence and protect the right to dignity of the child.

    “The defence counsel is pleading for leniency and praying for fine instead of the due punishment. My question is: who pays the victim for the lifetime scar of the trauma and torture of rape.

    “I am unable to deviate from the provisions of the law in this instant. The defendant is found guilty as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment.”

    The prosecution called eight witnesses, including a medical practitioner from the State University Teaching Hospital, police officers who investigated the case, two other pupils and a teacher in the school.

    Exhibits tendered include a medical report, statement of the accused, report of the panels set up by the school authorities and Teaching Service Commission, medical report from the police clinic, statement of the victim, among others.

    The two panels set up to investigate the matter indicted Ajayi which led to his suspension from service after which he was arrested and arraigned to face the charge.