The Lagos state police command has arrested and arraigned a newly married 32-year-old man, Francis Azukwo, before an Ogba Magistrate court for allegedly defiling a six-year-old girl identified as Ngozi, at their compound on Owoodu street in the Ikotun area of the state.
The police was alerted after it was discovered that Francis allegedly penetrated the little girl with his male organ. The victim's mother was in the hospital giving birth to a baby when the incident happened. While she was in the hospital, Ngozi was left in the care of her 16-year-old cousin as he father had traveled for work. When the mother of the victim came back, she noticed her daughter's strange movement, carried out an examination on her daughter's private part and discovered some bruises. Upon inquiry, Ngozi told her mother that it was Uncle Francis that defiled her. The matter was reported to the police and a test was run on the victim at the Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, where it was confrimed that the victims hymen had been broken as a result of penetration.
Francis was arrested by the police. He denied the allegations. Yesterday, he was arraigned before the Ogba Magistrate court on two counts of defilement and indecent assault.
The charge sheet read, “That you, Francis Azukwo, sometime in the month of September 2017, at Ikotun, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully and indecently assault one Ngozi (not real name), thereby committing an offence. That you, Francis Azukwo, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district, did defile one Ngozi, thereby committing an offence.”
The police prosecutor, Inspector Clifford Ogu, said the offences were punishable under sections 135 and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
Francis pleaded not guilty and through his counsel, applied for bail. The Magistrate later granted him bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.
“One of the sureties must be a level 12 officer in the Lagos State Civil Service and the other must be a registered property owner in Lagos State. The sureties should present evidence of three years’ tax payments to the state and their addresses must be verified,” the magistrate said
The case was adjourned till February 12, 2018 for advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. Francis is to be remanded in prison until he meets his bail conditions.
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