MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 39-year old man, Joshua Oche, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly defiling his 16-year old biological daughter and it was eventually exposed.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Afariogun Street, off Awolowo Way, Ikeja area of Lagos, where they reside.
The suspect was consequently charged before the Ogba Magistrates Court for the alleged defilement under the Criminal Laws of the State.
According to the Police, he had constantly defiled the victim between 2022 and 2023 by luring her into the act through kissing, touching her breasts and seducing her into the act.
The victim was said to have been traumatized over the fact that the defendant was her biological father and warned him to desist from doing so or she will expose him.
However, the defendant continued the act and the victim went to the Police and reported the matter. He was then arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the State Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After thorough interrogation, the Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
But the Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Layinka, ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody at the correctional centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when the DPP’s report will be ready 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 advice to be made available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.