A 40-year-old unemployed man, identified as Abdulai Lawal, on Thursday, was remanded at the Kirikiri correctional facility by an Ikorodu Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s three-year-old daughter.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Prosecutor, Mrs Olawunmi Osinbajo, had earlier informed the court that Lawal committed the offence on July 25 at Owutu, in “Agric’’ area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
She disclosed that the accused carried the three-year-old into his room while she was playing in the sand outside the house and had carnal knowledge of her.
She further said that when the child’s mother went searching for her daughter and calling out her name in shrieks, the child emerged from Lawal’s room with blood stains on her leg and clothes.
The mother quickly reported the case to the police, leading to Lawa’s arrest, Osinbajo said.
She said Lawal’s offence contravened the Criminal Laws of Lagos State (2015).
The presiding chief magistrate, Mrs A.B Olagbegi-Adelabu, did not take the plea of the accused but referred the case file to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
Olagbegi-Adelabu also ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending the advice and adjourned the case till Sept. 14 for mention.
