Emu Violet, a 27-year-old female class teacher of Light Bearer International School was yesterday docked before an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Lagos.
She was alleged to have defiled a four-year-old pupil.
The class teacher, who denied the allegation, was arraigned on a one-count of child defilement.
According to an investigative police officer, Sergeant Raimi Idowu, who testified in court, Violet allegedly inserted her finger into the victim’s vagina, who is a pupil in her class, when they were both alone in the classroom.
While being led in evidence by the State prosecutor, A. O Alabi, the IPO said that the incident occurred on June 2, 2016 at
Light Bearer International School, Lagos.
The IPO attached to Gender Unit, Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, said that the defendant was transferred to her office alongside with a case file of defilement from Ishashi police station on June 13, 2016.
She said, “The officer who brought the case file is now deceased. The case file contained police extract, investigative report, minute sheets, statement of the complainant, statement of the survivor and the defendant, application for bail and medical report.
“The defendant was the victim’s class teacher. The survivor (victim) said she went to the toilet to defecate and when she returned, her aunty gave her a toilet tissue to clean her anus.
“When she came back to the class room, her class teacher told her to open her legs for her to see if her anus was properly cleaned but she refused.
“The little girl told me that when she refused, her aunty forcefully opened her legs and put her finger inside her vagina.
“She told me that it was when she got home, her mother discovered blood stain on her pant and thereafter reported to her father. That was all she told me when I interviewed her.
“I thereafter visited the school to make enquiries from other children and class teachers but they all said they knew nothing about the allegation. Well I believe the child is not deaf or dumb; so she knows what exactly happened to her,” she said.
However, during cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Sherry Osakwe, the IPO stated that nobody was in the classroom at the time of the incident.
She told the court that the class teacher threatened to beat the girl child if she dares tell anyone what happened.
The IPO also told the court that she didn’t go through the defendant’s statement before commencing on the investigation.
Justice Sybil Nwaka further adjourned the matter till May 14 for continuation of trial.