High School Students Granted Bail Over Sexual Assault On Minor

Five teenagers from two schools at Lagos Island, Falomo Senior High School and Ireti Grammar School, who allegedly assaulted their fellow classmates (names withheld) sexually and tore their school skirts were, yesterday, arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate’s court, Lagos.

The students, docked before Magistrate Partick Adekomaiya, were granted N500,000 bail. He directed that the case file be forwarded to the DPP’s office for advice and adjourned till June 14.

The boys, accused of tearing the skirts of the victims valued at N1,150, comprised two 17-year-olds and three 16-year-old. They are facing four-count charge of conspiracy, misdemeanour, unlawful assembly, threat to public peace and “gross indecency by forcing themselves on a female pupil and wilful damage” preferred against them by the police.


Though the arraignment was held behind camera, the prosecutor, Mr. Olaitan Soetan, told the court that the defendants and others, who are still at large, committed the offence on May 4, at Normam Williams Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He said the defendants unlawfully assembled themselves along the public highway and threatened the peace of the neighbourhood by indecently forcing themselves on their fellow pupil.

A representative of the government from the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, who preferred anonymity, held a watching brief for the complainants.

The prosecutor said the alleged offences contravened Section 412, 44 (1) and punishable under Sections 44 (4), 35 and 134 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, reportedly told reporters, Wednesday, that one of the five suspects was above 18 years and would be prosecuted publicly.