A Magistrate Court in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos State has remanded a 54-year-old man, Jegede Folorunsho, to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for allegedly molesting an eight-year-old girl in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
The defendant was on Monday, November 20, 2023, charged with defilement of the minor before Magistrate O.M. Ajayi.
The police brought Folorunsho with a remand application seeking that the defendant be remanded in prison custody while requesting the court to permit them to duplicate and send the case file to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
The police prosecutor, Paul Ugorji, told the court that Folorunsho allegedly raped the victim at No 4 Adegbite Lane, Mushin, Lagos on October 4, 2023.
According to Ugorji, the defendant was arrested by the Mushin Police Division following complaints by the victim and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba for discreet investigation.
Ugorji said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The police, however, presented before the court a confessional statement written by the defendant.
The charge accompanied by the 12-paragraph remand application read, “That you, Jegede Folorunsho, on October 4, 2023, at No 4 Adegbite Lane, Mushin Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile one girl (name withheld), a minor of eight years, by having carnal knowledge of her and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
Following the remand application, the defendant’s plea was not taken.
The magistrate granted the prayer of the police and ordered that the defendant be remanded to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
She also ordered that the case file be sent to the DPP for legal advice.
She further adjourned the case till December 15, 2023, for the DPP’s advice.