Carpenter, 54, Arraigned For Allegedly Defiling Girl, 14, Armed With Knife

MICHAEL AKINOLA 

A Lagos State Court has ordered the remand of a 54-year old man, Abiodun Aroninuola, who allegedly defiled a 14-year old girl while armed with a knife inside his workshop and threatened to kill her.

P..M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened sometime in May, 2025, at Loye Bata Street, Megida area of Ayobo, Lagos, where they reside.

According to the Police, the carpenter lured the victim into his workshop and brought out a knife threatening to kill her if she did not allow him to engage her in sexual intercourse.

The victim was helpless due for fear of her life and he forcefully penetrated her. And having satisfied himself, he allowed her to go with a warning that if she tells anyone about what happened, he would kill her.

However, the victim was unable to withstand the trauma and she revealed what happened to her parents. The matter was reported to the Police at Ayobo Division. The carpenter was arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the State Command for interrogation.

The Police found him culpable after thorough interrogation and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.

The charges read:

“That you, Abiodun Aroninuola ‘m’, sometime in May, 2024, at Loye Bata Lati Street, Megida – Ayobo Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim ‘f 14years old by having sexual intercourse with her inside your carpentry workshop and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

COUNT II:” That you, Abiodun Aroninuola ‘m’, on the same date. time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did threaten the victim with a knife, not to disclose your sexual abuse on her or eIse you will kill her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 56(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

However, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor,  Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asking the Court to give a date and refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O.Tanimola, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, 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 available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.