MICHAEL AKINOLA
Four young men, Sodiq Kazeem, 20, Aduranigba Seyon,20, Akinwumi Olaitan, 22 and Yusuf Lateef, 20, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly gang raping a 20-year old lady and watching their actions.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 29th July, 2024, at Ajangbadi area of Lagos.
They were later arrested and charged for conspiracy and rape under the Criminal Laws of the State.
According to the Police, the young men lured the victim to an undisclosed place and forcefully ordered her to remove her pants. They then penetrated her one after the other while watching the actions.
Having satisfied themselves, they allowed her to go and warned her not to tell anyone about what happened. But the victim went to the Ojo Police Division and reported what happened.
The Police moved into action, eventually arrested and transferred them to the SCID, Yaba, for interrogation over their alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation at the SCID, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Yaba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Sodiq Kazeem, 20, Aduranigba Seyon,20, Akinwumi Olaitan, 22 and Yusuf Lateef, 20, on the 29th day of July, 2024 at about 1700hrs, at Ajangbadi Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: rape and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
COUNT II: “That you, Sodiq Kazeem, 20, Aduranigba Seyon, 20, Akinwumi Olaitan, 22 and Yusuf Lateef, on the 29th day of July, 2024 at about 1700hrs, at Ajangbadi Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did rape the victim by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her and thereby, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The Court did not take their plea when they were arraigned after the prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E. Nwaka, ordered their remand in custody without any option of bail pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.