MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 45-year old security guard, Abdulkareem Isah, at First Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Mile 12 in Kofose area of Lagos State, has been arrested and charged for allegedly abducting a 13-year old student, keeping her in captivity for three days and engaging her in sex romp.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that while the victim was held captive by the security guard, her parents searched for her to no avail until information leaked that it was the suspect, Isah, that abducted her from the school and took her to his house at Ikorodu Road around Mile 12, where she was eventually rescued.
The suspect was charged for abduction and statutory rape under the Criminal Laws of the State before the Ogba Magistrate Court.
According to the Police, the suspect abducted the victim from the school premises and kept her in his house, where he defiled her severally before she was eventually rescued.
The matter was reported to the Police at Alapere Division and he was arrested. He was later transferred to the Gender Section of the State Police Command for interrogation over his alleged conduct.
During interrogation, the security guard claimed that she followed him to his house with her consent and as such, he did not abduct and defile her as alleged by the parents.
However, the Police found him culpable because of the victim’s age and subsequently charged him before the Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment or life imprisonment.
The Court did not take his plea when he was arraigned following a motion moved by the Police prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Layinka, ordered his remand in custody at the correctional centre 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.
The matter was adjourned till 16th April, 2024, 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.