Four men, Chinye, Sule, Wale and
22-year-old Lawal Kamoru, have been accused of gang-raping a
14-year-old-girl, (name withheld ) while she was returning from a vigil.
The incident was said to have occurred at Oluwanishola street, Ilaje Bariga, Lagos.
While Kamoru has been arrested, the remaining three were said to be at large. PUNCH Metro
gathered that the victim and her sister, who live in the Ifako, Gbagada
area of Lagos, had attended a vigil with their mother in Ososa Avenue,
Bariga.
After the vigil, their mother was said to have asked them to wait for her at the home of a family friend on Jide Street, Bariga.
On their way there, the sisters were reportedly cornered by the four men who were wielding knives, sticks and bottles.
The quartet was said to have been
temporarily distracted from their evil intention when they noticed a
group of people approaching. They allegedly freed the girls.
After the group took another direction, the hoodlums reportedly traced the girls and abducted them the second time.
They were said to have seized their bag
containing a Bible valued at N750, a head tie valued at N500, a handset
valued at N13,500, and N10,000 cash.
The hoodlums allegedly seized the younger of the victims and took the 14-year-old to a corner where they took turns to rape her.
She was said to have sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a general hospital in the area.
The Bariga Police Division was alerted and was able to arrest Kamoru, while the others took to their heels.
He was arraigned on six counts of rape, stealing and assault.
The charges read in part, “That you,
Lawal Kamoru, and others at large on February 1, 2014, at Oluwanishola
Street, off Seriki Street, Ilaje Bariga, in the Lagos Magisterial
District, did unlawfully have sexual intercourse with one (name
withheld), age 14 years.
“That you did threaten the lives of
(name withheld), female, age 11 years, (name withheld), age 14 years,
with bottles, sticks and knives.”
The police prosecutor, Inspector Richard
Odigie, said the offences were punishable under sections 409, 135, 258,
170, 56, 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected summary trial.
His defence counsel asked for his bail in liberal terms.
The magistrate, Mr. Olanrewaju Olatunji,
however, denied the defendant bail, saying the case should be sent to
the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till March 10, 2014 for legal advice.
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