Court Remands Bricklayer For Defiling A Minor

A Magistrate Court sitting in Osogbo, State of Osun, on Tuesday, remanded a 23-year old bricklayer, Lukman Moshood, in prison for allegedly raping and defiling a 6-year-old girl for two days.

The suspect was accused of luring the victim, simply identified as Omode Kekere into his room located at 3, Durojaye Street, Testing Ground area, Osogbo, while her mother sent her on an errand.

Police prosecutor, Fatoba Temitope, a police sergeant, informed the court that the accused person forced the minor to bed two times at about 2:30pm on 23rd and 28th of December, 2017.

Moshood was said to have gagged the minor while having carnal knowledge of her repeatedly.
It was learnt that the victim’s parents discovered stains of blood in her private part before Moshood was confronted and reported to the police.

The charge sheet obtained by our correspondent from the court reads, “That you, Lukman Moshood, on the 23rd and 28th days of December, 2017 at about 14:30hours at No. 3 Durojaye Street, Testing Ground area, Osogbo in the Osogbo Family Court District did unlawfully and indecently assault one Omode Kekere, aged 6, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 360 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The second charge reads partly, “ That you (accused) on the same date, time and aforementioned Magisterial district did unlawfully have carnal knowledge of Omode Kekere, aged 6 and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vil. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

But Moshood pleaded not guilty to the two count-charges of indecent assault and rape slammed against him by the police.

Though the accused person’s counsel, Okobe Najite, made efforts to secure bail for his client, the presiding Magistrate, A. Ayeni, ordered that Moshood be remanded in Ilesa Prison custody.

He adjourned the matter till January 30, 2018, for mention.

Meanwhile, the parents of the victim have appealed to the police and well-meaning Nigerians to ensure that their daughter gets justice over her ordeal.

Speaking with journalists at the Police Command Headquarters, the parents revealed that they had sent Kekere on an errand before Moshood allegedly lured her into his room and defiled her.

The State Commissioner of Police, Olafimihan Adeoye, then advised parents to always ensure that their wards do not go to where they could be abused.