By Ayodele Popoola

|

An Akure Magistrate’s Court has remanded a 45-year-old carpenter, Ojo Akerele, for sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl (names withheld).

The defendant who resides in Idoani was brought to court on a lone count of unlawful sexual assault.

According to the prosecution, the defendant committed the offence on March 2, 2023, at Oke-Oshin, Owaani in Idoani, Ose local government area if Ondo State.

The prosecutor, Suliamon Abdulateef told the court that the defendant sexually assaulted the victim, by inserting his penis inside her vaginal.

The offence contravenes Section 357  of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against him

The trial Magistrate, N.T Aladejana, in his ruling faulted the police charge, he said if the police could confirm that the defendant inserted his penis inside the victim’s viginal, the defendant should be allowed to face a trial on defilement or attempted rape.

Aladejana  ordered the remand of the defendant to a correctional centre in Ondo, to enable the prosecution amend the charge and file a remand application.

He adjourned the case till  April 13, for  ruling.

Recall that Akerele was arrested following  a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother.

It was reported that the victim was lured to an uncompleted building by the suspect where he had carnal knowledge of her, after giving her ₦100.

According to a police source, the girl always comes to the suspect workshop to ask for N100

It was said that The man seized the opportunity to sexually assault the girl.

It was also gathered that it was the victim’s teacher who overheard her conversation with her friends during their casual chats on how the man always called her, remove her pant, and inserted his penis inside her vaginal whenever he gave her money.

The teacher, however, called the victim’s mother and narrated the story to her which led to the suspect’s arrest.

The girl, during interrogation by the police, confirmed the man raped her on several occasions.