Alaba Market Trader, 45, Defiles, Impregnates Girl, 13

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Emmanuel Lucky

A 45-year old trader at Alaba International Market in Lagos, Emmanuel Lucky has been arrested for defiling and impregnating a 13 year-old student and hawker.

Lucky was among the suspects paraded Wednesday by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni at the state police headquarters in lkeja, Lagos.

According to the police boss, it was the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, acting on an information that effected the arrest of Lucky for the alleged offence.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the girl (name withheld) was a Junior Secondary School student at Ajangbadi area before she dropped out of school because she was impregnated by Lucky.

The report of what happened to her got to the knowledge of her school authorities who then contacted the OPD, who got him arrested.

However, the suspect said the girl who is from Edo State was his legitimate wife as he had already paid her bride price (N64,000 to her father and N20,000 to her mother out of what N100,000 they demanded from him).

He said he knew the victim eight months ago before she became pregnant, and he had taken his relations to meet her parents and they both agreed on a fixed bride price to pay.

Imo State-born Lucky said since he started dating the victim till when he was arrested on Tuesday, he has not only taken care of her but also her parents.

“I am surprise her parents was not saying anything despite all I had done for the entire family,” the suspect said.

On why he chose to marry a minor, Lucky said he was married but divorced and had remained single until he met the victim and fell in love with her.

He said he is a fashion designer and also trade in fashion materials inside Alaba Market.

However, the police insisted that he has committed a serious offence of raping a minor which has led to her pregnancy at such age.

The Commissioner of police, Owoseni said Lucky will be charged to court after the conclusion of their investigation.