A 28-year-old fashion designer, identified only as Ituah, has been beaten up by a mob on Mosaku Street, in the Oshodi area of Lagos State, for allegedly raping a two-year-old girl.
Our correspondent gathered that Ituah, who was later dragged to the Akinpelu Police Division, was caught by a neighbour while allegedly raping the victim. The neighbour reportedly alerted the girl’s mother.
It was learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 5pm.
Our correspondent gathered that the girl’s mother, identified simply as Mrs. Ajibade, had gone to the toilet to urinate and left the girl in the corridor.
The victim was said to have gone to play with Ituah, who has a shop in front of the victim’s house, when the suspect allegedly raped her.
A neighbour reportedly caught the fashion designer and raised the alarm, which attracted a mob.
The mob reportedly beat up the suspect before dragging him to the police station.
Speaking, the victim’s mother, Ajibade, a trader, said she left the girl in the corridor so that she would not play with electric appliances in the sitting room.
She said, “It was around 5pm on Sunday that the incident happened. We live in a face-me-I-face-you house. The suspect has a shop in front of our house.
“I went to the toilet and returned without seeing my daughter in the corridor. I had left her in the corridor because I did not want her to play with electric sockets in the house.
“When I came back, I could not find her. I did not know she was with the fashion designer. When my girl was brought from the shop, she just pointed to her private parts and cried, ‘Ituah, Ituah’.
“That was how I examined her pants and discovered that she had been raped.
“We were at the Mirabel Centre on Monday for a checkup. She is gradually responding to treatment.
“The suspect’s family members are putting pressure on us. We do not want any case on the matter.”
Our correspondent learnt that after Ituah was mobbed, the matter was also brought to the attention of a non-governmental organisation in the area, Child Protection Network, which facilitated his movement to the police station.
The CPN coordinator in the Oshodi area, Ebenezer Omejalile, said the suspect confessed to have inserted his fingers into the two-year-old’s private parts, but denied raping her.
He said, “The suspect denied having an intercourse with the girl. He was the only one in the shop. He later told the girl’s mother that he only inserted his fingers into the girl’s private parts.
“The shop is closed down as we speak. The suspect has been moved from the division to the command headquarters.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed Ituah’s arrest.
She said, “He is in custody at the gender unit of the command headquarters. Investigation is ongoing into the matter.”
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