P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Oseni Salawu Street, Agric area of Igando, Lagos, where they reside.
The suspect was said to have lured the victim to his apartment, used words of mouth to confuse her before he fondled and sucked her breasts. The girl became confused, was unable to control herself and he penetrated her in the process.
The victim later realized herself and informed her parents about what happened and how Haruna lured her into the act without her consent.
The matter was reported to the Family Support Unit at Igando Police Division. The suspect, Haruna, was arrested and detained at the station for interrogation.
During investigation, he reportedly admitted to have slept with the girl but with her consent, which the victim denied. She claimed that she was lured into the act and narrated how he fondled and sucked her breasts.
The Police found him culpable because of the age of the victim, who is still a minor under the Law and subsequently charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned after the prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice because of the nature of the alleged offence.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubeinje, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice.
The Court also directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for advice, while the matter was adjourned till 28th February, 2024, for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.
The matter may likely be transferred to the High Court if the DPP finds him culpable and recommends his trial for the alleged offence over jurisdiction.