KINGSLEY EBERE
A 24-year old man, Uzochukwu Chinecherem, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly engaging his neighbour’s 8-year old girl in sex.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at New Haven Estate, Igbehinadun Lagos, where they reside.
According to the Police, the suspect allegedly lured the victim to his room and penetrated her private part before the information leaked to the victim’s parents.
The matter was reported to the Police in the area. The suspect was then arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Uzochukwu Chinecherem ‘m’ on the 13th day of October, 2024, at about 2200hours, at New Haven Estate, Igbehinadun Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim ‘f’ 8years old by having sexual intercourse with her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 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, Inspector John Iberedem, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubenije, 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 for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, 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.