MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 40-year old teacher, Stanley Egekwu, has landed in trouble in Lagos State for allegedly asking an 11-year old female student to hug him within the school premises.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the victim informed her parents about what happened and her parents reported to the Police that the suspect had sexually molested their daughter.
The Police subsequently arrested him and then charged him before Court for the alleged sexual assault on the victim.
The incident happened on 8th November, 2023, at Apple Orchard School premises, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos where the school is located.
According to the Police, the suspect sexually harrassed the victim by asking her to hug him and she informed her parents about what happened.
During investigation at the Gender Section of the Police Command, the victim’s parents insisted that he should be prosecuted for the alleged assault despite several pleadings but they remained adamant.
The Police then charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
However, 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 because of the nature of the case.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, 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 for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be made available, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.