MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 32-year old man, Anthony Okeh, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after he allegedly lured his neighbour’s 9-year old girl and engaged her in sex.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Hamzat Crescent, Augosto Estate at Oko-Oba area of Lagos State.
According to the Police, the suspect lured the girl to his apartment and engaged her into the romp. Having satisfied himself, he allowed the girl to go but asked her not to tell anyone about what happened.
However, the girl was said to have revealed what happened to her parents and the matter was reported to the Police in the area. He was arrested and later transferred to the Gender Section of the Lagos State Command for interrogation.
After thorough interrogation, the Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrates Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment if he is tried and found guilty.
However, when he was arraigned, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the Prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubenije, ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody pending when the DPP’s report will be ready, while she directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for advice.
The matter was adjourned till 10th January, 2023, for mention for the DPP’s report to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.