A 52-year old jobless man identified as Gabriel Olaniyan was on Monday docked before Chief Magistrate N.A.J Ogunbona (Mrs) at the Oyo State Magistrate Court sitting at Iyaganku for allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl.
Olaniyan was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on having carnal knowledge (rape) of the little girl in a charge delineated MI/37c/2018 but his plea was not taken.
The prosecutor, Mrs Folake Ewe had told the court that the accused on the March 1 at about 5 pm at Alapafon Area of Ibadan did have unlawful carnal knowledge of the minor identified as Fatia Adeleke, a nine years old girl without her consent.
Ewe said the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 218 of the criminal code Cap38 Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.
Chief Magistrate Mrs N.A.J Ogunbona in finding out what happened asked the accused why he defiled the minor; wondering whether it was for ritual purpose or he wanted to marry the girl and demanded to know what he used to entice the girl.
Olaniyan informed the court that it was a mistake, adding that he used N10 biscuit to entice her.
The victim’s father Mr.Adeleke told the court that his daughter was on her way back from the Quranic School when she was accosted by Olaniyan and was eventually raped.
Adeleke explained that he had separated from Fatia’s mother and got married to another woman who had been taking care of the girl like her own.
Chief Magistrate Ogunbona couldn’t hide her annoyance at the fact that many people now rape minors, adding that they were allowing the devil to used them to destroy the society.
“Curse will be on them, their children and children’s children if they don’t stop the unwholesome act,” she said.
She urged parents to always monitor their children and take good care of them in order to prevent them from being molested by rapists and other undesirable elements in the society and advised Fatia’s father to either return her to her mother or take her to responsible relations for proper care.
She thereafter ordered that the accused be remanded in Agodi Prison pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and adjourned the case till April 5, 2018.
Source: Nigerian Tribune
