A 41-year-old man, Nathaniel Onwuegbulam, was on Wednesday arraigned before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old put in his care.
Onwuegbulam was arraigned on a count bordering on defilement which he pleaded not guilty to.
According to the prosecutor, Adebayo Haroun, the victim was given to the defendant and his wife to take care of.
Haroun alleged that Onwuegbulam committed the offence on October 3, 2016 at his residence in Ajisegiri Street, Agodo, Lagos
“The complainant and the defendant are from the same village in Imo State; she was handed over to the defendant and his wife to oversee her welfare in Lagos by her parents in the village.
“A social worker was alerted anonymously that the defendant was having unlawful carnal knowledge of the complainant.
“The claim was investigated by the social worker and the child confirmed that the abuse occurred on several occasions.
“The authorities were subsequently alerted and the defendant was apprehended,” Haroun said.
The presiding judge, Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya, upheld the bail conditions granted to Onwuegbulam by a magistrates’ court and adjourned the case till November 22 for trial.
Meanwhile, in a related case, 19-year-old Joseph Idoh was also on Wednesday arraigned before the court for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s six-year-old daughter.
Idoh pleaded not guilty to the one count of defilement pressed against him.
According to the prosecutor, Haroun, the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The prosecutor said Idoh committed the offence on January 20, 2016 at his residence in the Orile area of Agege, Lagos.
“The child’s mother has passed away and her father has been in charge of the upbringing of the complainant and her siblings.
“On the fateful day, she approached her father complaining of pains in her private part and disclosed to him that Idoh, their neighbour, had, on various occasions, been having sexual intercourse with her.
“Her father, who was devastated by the claims, reported the matter to the police and the defendant was arrested,” Haroun said.
Justice Ogunsanya upheld the bail conditions previously granted to Idoh by a magistrates’ court and adjourned the case for trial.
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