The police have arraigned a 27-year-old man, Tope Akintade, for impregnating a primary three pupil, Beatrice (pseudonym), after he allegedly raped her.
Akintade and Beatrice, an orphan, are neighbours at a compound on Baale Street, Agboju, Kuje in the Amuwo area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the 13-year-old victim was outside washing plates in the afternoon, sometime in November, when Akintade, who hails from the Idanre Local Government Area, Ondo State, lured her to his room and forcefully had sex with her.
Our correspondent gathered that Beatrice’s aunt, who preferred to be anonymous because of the nature of the incident, had earlier warned the suspect to stay away from her niece when she (the minor) complained that he was “playing rough play” with her.
Our correspondent learnt that neither the aunt nor other lodgers of the compound were around on the fateful day to intervene in the act as Akintade reportedly coerced the minor into three rounds of sexual romp.
It was gathered that the act, which the minor had kept secret, became apparent when she began to exhibit some symptoms usually shown by pregnant women.
She was said to have been taken to a hospital where a test conducted on her revealed that she was three months pregnant.
Akintade was eventually arrested by police officials attached to the Satellite Police Division and charged with rape.
PUNCH Metro was told that he had confessed to the crime in a statement made to the police. A prosecutor, Olusoji Ojaokomo, arraigned him before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on two counts of rape.
The charge read, “That you, Tope Akintade, 27, on Baale Street, Agboju, Satellite Town, Kunje, Amuwo, Lagos, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did defile one Beatrice by having canal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
“That you, Tope Akintade, did indecently assault Beatrice by touching her private parts and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 134 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty before the magistrate, Mrs. O.I. Adelaja, who admitted him to bail in the sum of N50,000, with two sureties in like sum.
“The sureties must tender to the court evidence of tax payment and their residential addresses for verification,” she added.
She adjourned the case till March 23, 2015 for mention.
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