A two-year-old toddler, Precious
(pseudonym) has been raped by one Azeez Ganiyu, after she was abducted
from her residence on Giwa Street, Ijora Badia, Lagos State.
The incident happened on April 16 at
about 10am after the victim’s mother left her in a room with a neighbour
to buy food at a nearby shop.
Our correspondent gathered that 16-year-old Ganiyu abducted the girl when she walked outside to play with other children.
He reportedly took her to an uncompleted
building, said to be a few kilometers away from the victim parents’
house, and raped her.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Precious’ mother and neighbours were thrown into confusion when they did not see the girl in the surroundings.
After minutes of fruitless search, it
was learnt that the mother suddenly heard a baby screaming and traced
the voice to the uncompleted building, where she allegedly met Ganiyu
committing the crime.
Precious was said to have been taken to a hospital where it was medically confirmed that she had been raped.
Our correspondent learnt that the
suspect, who also resides in the community, was later arrested by the
police at the Ijora Badia Police Division.
The police subsequently arraigned Ganiyu before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on one count of rape.
The charge read, “That you, Azeez
Abdulganiyu (16), on April 16, 2015, at about 10am on Giwa Street, Ijora
Badia, Lagos in the Apapa Magisterial District, did unlawfully have
carnal knowledge of a two-year-old girl.”
The police prosecutor, Inspector Olusoji
Ojaokomo, told the court that the offence contravened provisions of
Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty before the presiding magistrate, Mr. P.A. Adekomaya.
The magistrate thus ordered that the
defendant’s case file be transferred to the Directorate of Public
Prosecutions for legal advice.
Adekomaya thereafter granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of tax payment to the court.
The case was adjourned till May 5, 2015.
Copyright PUNCH.
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