MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 40-year old man, Emeka Ani, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly defiling his brother’s 5-year old daughter.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ijegun Road, Ijegun area of Lagos, where they reside.
According to the Police, the suspect lured the victim when there was nobody in the house, engaged her in the alleged dastardly act and warned her not to tell anyone what he did to her.
However, the victim later woke up in the early hours of the morning and was crying which drew the attention of his mother to know why she was crying. She reluctantly told her mom that the suspect defiled her.
The matter was reported to the Police at Isheri Oshun Division. The suspect was arrested and transferred to the Gender Section of the Police Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
After interrogation at the Gender Section, the Police found him culpable and consequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for defilement, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Emeka Ani ‘m’ on the 31st day of January 2025, at Ijegun Road, Ijegun Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim ‘f 5 years old, by unlawful carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos Nigeria, 2015.”
The Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, 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.