MICHAEL AKINOLA
A Lagos Court has ordered the remand of a 41-year old man, Chukwuka Stanley, for allegedly drugging his 15-year old biological daughter and forcefully engaging her in sex.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Iroko Owolabi Street, Morgan Estate, Ojudu area of Lagos, where they reside.
According to the Police, the man started engaging the victim in sexual activity from when she was 11 years and continued till 2024 when the victim realized that it was unusual for her to be having sexual relationship with her biological father and decided to stop it.
However, that did not go down well with the father, who then decided to use drugs on her and forcefully engaged her in the act in order to satisfy his sexual desires.
On the day the last incident happened, the man was alleged to have administered substance suspected to be hard drugs into the victim’s drink and she became unconscious before he had carnal knowledge of her.
The victim made move and reported the matter to the Gender Section of the Lagos State Command through the Ministry of Youth and Social Development. The suspect was arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
During the interrogation, the Police discovered that the man had been sleeping with the victim for the past four years and consequently found him culpable. He was charged before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State, which attracts life imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Chukwuka Stanley Nteh ‘m’, sometimes in 2024, at Iroko Owolabi Street, Morgan Estate, Ojodu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did maliciously administer substance, being hard and prohibited drug into the drink of the victim ‘f 15years old with intent to cause her harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 243 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.,
COUNT II: “That you, Chukwuka Stanley Nteh ‘m’, sometimes in 2022, at Iroko Owolabi Street, Morgan Estate, Ojodu, Lagos, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did defile the victim by having unlawful carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.,
COUNT III: “That you, Chukwuka Stanley Nteh ‘m’, sometime in 2022 till date at Iroko Owolabi Street, Morgan Estate Ojodu, Lagos, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did engage the victim in sexual activities with penetration without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 265(2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT IV:”That you, Chukwuka Stanley Nteh ‘m’, on the same date. time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did sexually assault and penetrated the vagina of the victim thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
COUNT V: “That you, Chukwuka Stanley Nteh ‘m’, from the year 2022 till date, at Iroko Owolabi Street, Morgan Estate Ojodu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowingly and willfully have carnal knowledge of the victim who happens to be your biological daughter and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 28 of Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Law, 2021.”
However, the Court did not take his plea 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 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.