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.
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