CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A 32-year old man, Damilola Omojolowo, has been arrested in Lagos State for sexual assault after he allegedly lured a 14-year old girl into sex romp by fondling her breasts and she fell into his trap.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Church Street, Ajegunle area of Lagos, where both the suspect and the girl’s parents reside.
The Police alleged that for the past five months, between March and July 2022, the suspect was said to have been engaging the girl in sex and warned her not to tell anyone about what he had been doing to her.
He was said to have usually lured her into act by targeting and touching her breasts thereby making the girl unable to resist his actions.
However, he was caught in the act and the girl revealed what had been happening and how he usually touched her breasts in order to lure her into the act.
The matter was reported to the Police in the area and he was arrested. He was later transferred to the Gender Section of the Command for interrogation over the conduct.
During interrogation, the suspect told the Police that he did not force the girl into having sex and what he did was with her consent, as such it was not statutory rape.
However, the Police found him culpable because the victim is still a minor and subsequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrates Court for unlawfully carnal knowledge of the girl.
When he was arraigned, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubenije, ordered his remand in the Correctional Centre pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
The matter was adjourned till 2nd November, 2022, for the report of the DPP to be available.