LAGOS – A 35-year-old man, Haruna Murtari, who allegedly defiled a four-year-old girl, was on Thursday docked at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Murtari, who resides at Gangara area in Mile 12, Lagos, is facing a three-count charge of unlawful detention with intent to defile, sexual assault and defilement.
The Prosecutor, Mr Lucky Ihiehie, said that the accused, who lives in the same compound with the complainant, committed the offences at Gangara area, Mile 12, on Nov. 6.
Ihiehie said that the father of the girl reported the incident at Ketu Police Station the same day.
“The girl’s mother informed her husband that their daughter was in pains and that the accused had defiled her.
“The accused sent the girl to buy biscuits and when she returned he gave her his phone to watch movie, before having canal knowledge of her,’’ he said.
The prosecutor said the accused removed the minor’s dress, rubbed cream in her private parts and on his penis, and had sexual intercourse with her.
He said that the girl took her mother to the apartment of the accused when she noticed that the minor was in serious pains.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 144 (1), 261 and 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs. O. Sule-Amzat, granted the accused N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and ordered that the sureties must be blood relatives of the accused.
She ordered that the sureties must reside in Lagos State and one of them must own a landed property within the state.
Amzat also ordered that both sureties must be employed and their status and addresses must be verified while they should show evidence of payment of rent and other utility bills.
The case was adjourned until Dec. 12 for further hearing.
