A 19-year-old man, Tunde Ahmed, who allegedly defiled a six-year-old daughter of his neighbour was on Wednesday arraigned at an Apapa Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Ahmed, who resides at Abule Ado area of Lagos State, is standing trial on a two-count charge of indecent treatment of a child and child defilement.
The prosecutor, ASP Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 7 at his residence. Ojaokomo said that the accused, who was living in the same building as the parents of the girl, lured her into his room, where he inserted one of his fingers into her private part.

“Ahmed also forcefully had an unlawful carnal knowledge of the child without her consent,” he said.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 135 and137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 135 stipulates that any person who unlawfully and indecently deals with a child is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

Section 137 prescribes that any person who has sexual intercourse with a child is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.
Ahmed, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Senior Magistrate, Mr Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that the case file should be duplicated and forwarded to the state’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for advice. The magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties each in like sum and he adjourned the case to May 14.