A 40-year-old commercial driver, Sesan Tianu, who allegedly defiled the seven-year-old daughter of his neighbour, was arraigned in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday.
Tianu, who resides at No. 18b, Adetoke St., Bariga area of Lagos, is standing trial for child rape.
But the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, ASP Godwin Anyanwu, had said that the accused committed the offence on May 3, around his residence.
Anyanwu said that the accused took advantage of the seven-year-old girl.
“As his victim was urinating in front of the house, the accused lured her into his parked commercial bus.
“He inserted his finger in her private part.
“The raped girl screamed but the accused covered her mouth with his hand and he further penetrated into the girl’s private part.
“The accused threatened the victim not to tell her mother.
“The raped girl’s mother noticed blood stain on her pant when bathing her in the night and morning.
“The little girl told her mother what happened to her and then the case was reported at the Bariga Police Station, ” Anyanwu said.
The prosecution submitted that the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Soladoye, ordered that the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the case should be sought.
Soladoye granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to Aug.1 for the DPP’s advice.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of child rape. (NAN)
