MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 25-year old man, Godwin John, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s 9-year old daughter by forcefully penetrating her inside their bathroom.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Alafia Street, Oke-Odo area of Lagos, where they reside.
According to the Police, on 26th March, 2025, the matter was transferred from Ile-Epo Division, Oke-Odo, to the Gender Section of the Lagos State Command after the victim’s mother reported on behalf of her daughter against the suspect of the same address.
The complainant alleged that on the 23rd March, 2025, at about 1900hours that the suspect forcefully took the victim, who is her daughter into the bathroom, covered her mouth with a red handkerchief and forcefully had unlawful canal knowledge with her.
Thus, he was arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct against the victim. After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Godwin John ‘m’ on the 25th March, 2025 at No. 17 Alafia Street, Oke-Odo, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile one minor ‘f’ 9 years old by having unlawful carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the riminal 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 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.