An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has ordered the remand of a 37-year-old security guard, Olukayode Adebayo, pending legal advice for alleged rape of a minor on Christmas Day.
The defendant is standing trial on a count of rape.
The charge stated that Adebayo “was reasonably suspected to have committed an offence of rape on a 13-year-old girl at Peace Avenue, Afao Road, Ado Ekiti, on December 25, 2021.”
In her statement to the police, the victim stated, “On Christmas Day, I went to our shop on the instructions of my mother to bring some bananas and kolanut for her. On my way home, the defendant, who was on a motorcycle, met me on the road and asked me to mount the motorcycle to assist me home and I agreed.
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“On our way, he took me to an uncompleted building and had carnal knowledge of me and left. It was my cry that attracted passers-by, who took me home. I explained the incident to my mother and we later reported the incident at the police station.”
The police prosecutor, Inspector Sadiq Adeniyi, said, “The offence runs contrary to and is punishable under Section 31 of the Child Right Law of Ekiti State, 2012.”
The prosecutor, in an ex parte application, urged the court to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti, pending the conclusion of police investigation and legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The magistrate, Mojisola Salau, granted the request and ordered Adebayo’s remand, saying, “Remanding the defendant will allow the police to complete their investigation, while the prosecutor will duplicate the case file and send the same to the office of the DPP for legal advice.”
PUNCH……
