MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 43-year old man, Bakare Joseph, has landed in trouble in Lagos State for allegedly luring his neighbour’s 15-year old girl and engaging her in sex romp.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Igbo Oluwo Street, Ikorodu area of Lagos, where they reside.
The suspect, Joseph, has been arrested and after being found culpable by the Police, he was subsequently charged before the Court for defilement.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mrs. Olawunmi Osibanjo, told the Court that Joseph lured the young girl to his room and engaged her in the act. The girl’s parents got to know and they alerted the Police, who eventually arrested Joseph.
Mrs. Osibanjo stated that the offense was in violation of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which attracts several years of imprisonment if he is tried and found guilty before the Court.
At the Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court, where Joseph was brought to be arraigned, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.O. Olateru-Olagbegi, declined to take his plea after the prosecutor asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice.
The Court ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned till 2nd March, 2023, for the report of DPP’s advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.