MICHAEL AKINOLA
The Police operatives at the SCID, Yaba, Lagos have arrested a 24-year old Islamic teacher, Mosediq Toheeb, for allegedly defiling a 6-year old pupil by inserting his finger into her private part inside Central Mosque
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 7th May, 2023, at the University of Lagos Central Mosque.
The teacher, Toheeb, has been charged before the Yaba Magistrates Court on two count charges on sexual assault by finger penetration at a Quranic school.
The Police prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, told the Court that it was the second time the defendant would defile the victim.
The victim’s mother told the Court that on the day of the incident, the child returned home from school with blood stains on her clothes. And when asked what happened, she told her that her class teacher took her to a separate classroom, tied her mouth and hands and defiled her with a stern warning that she should not tell anybody.
The prosecutor, Supol Thomas, told the Court that the offences committed are punishable under Sections 261 and 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The charge read: “That you, Mosediq Toheeb, on May 7, 2023, around 4pm at UNILAG Central Mosque, in the Yaba Magisterial District, did sexually assault one six-year-old female (name withheld), who lives at No. 26, Femi Adebule Street, Fola Agoro, in the Somolu area of Lagos, by inserting your finger into her vagina and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015”.
The Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor asking the Court to remand the defendant for 30 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Toheeb’s lawyer, Patrick Onochie, pleaded with the Court to consider the defendant, who he claimed was a final year student of the University of Lagos and would be starting his final examinations in two weeks.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P. E. Nwaka, ordered his remand 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 19th June, 2023 for the DPP’s report to be made available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.