MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 52-year old man, Jubril Balogun, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after he allegedly lured a 10-year old girl, engaged her in sex inside the market and was caught in the act.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ojo Oba Market in Lagos.
The suspect, Balogun, was said to have lured the girl to the place, pulled her pants and forcefully penetrated her from the back.
While he was in the act, he was caught by the security men in the market and handed him over to the Police team from the Commissioner of Police Squad over the conduct.
During the interrogation, he was said to have admitted but claimed to have done so with the consent of the girl while the victim said he lured her into it without her consent.
The Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Yaba Magistrates Court for engaging the minor in such an act in a public place.
The Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice since the victim is still a minor.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E. Nwaka, ordered his remand in the Correctional Centre pending when the DPP’s report will be ready and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for advice.
The matter was adjourned pending the outcome of DPP’s advice, 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’s report finds him culpable and orders for his trial for the alleged offence.