A 31-year old man, Samuel Paul, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after he secretly engaged his neighbour’s 14-year old daughter in sex and she became pregnant.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Paul, has been arrested and charged for defilement under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The incident happened at Akodo Area, Ibeju – Lekki, Lagos, where they reside.
He was alleged to have lured the victim into sex and asked her not to tell anyone about it, which the victim kept to herself.
However, the matter got exposed after the victim’s mother discovered changes in her body including her eyes. She then took her to the hospital, conducted medical test and the result showed that she was pregnant.
At that point, the victim opened up and told the mother that it was the suspect, Paul, who engaged her in sex which resulted into the pregnancy.
The matter was reported to the Police in the area. The operatives moved into action, arrested the suspect and transferred him to the Gender Section of the Police Command for interrogation over the alleged offence.
After interrogation at the Gender Section, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, the Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Paul Ugorji, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.M. Ajayi, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center 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 for the report of the DPP’s legal advice to be available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
The charge read:
“That you, Samuel Paul ‘m’, sometimes in the month of November in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim ‘f’ 14years old by having unlawful carnal knowledge of her and impregnated her at Akodo Area Ibeju – Lekki, Lagos, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015.”