MICHAEL AKINOLA
Barely few days after, a 31-year old man, Godstime Mark, made a public confession and denounced his sins at his church, he has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 16-year old church member in a popular hotel in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Mark, lured the girl to the popular Poco Hotel at Old Ojo Road, Satellite town, under the false pretence of assisting her with some gift items.
The girl, having heard his public confession of his sins during the church service, believed that he was a changed man. She then went to the address, which he had asked her to meet with him but it turned out to be a hotel. He reportedly took her to a room, tore her clothes, forcefully had sex with her for three times and escaped from the hotel.
The girl was said to have later sourced for another clothes as he tore the ones she wore to the hotel, went home and told her parents about what happened to her.
The matter was reported to the Police in the area. The suspect, Mark, was trailed, eventually arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
During interrogation, he admitted that he actually confessed in their church and renounced his sins but he did not know what came over him to engage the victim in such act.
The Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for defilement, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
When he was arraigned, the Court did not take his plea after the prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, moved a motion and asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the alleged crime.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Layinka, ordered his remand in custody at the Correctional Centre 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.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody pending the report of DPP’s advice, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.