A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, has ordered the remand of a 19-year-old man, Femi Ayepola, his mother, Esther, and a suspected quack doctor, Olalekan Lawrence, over the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl (name withheld).
The state police command arraigned Femi, his mother, and Lawrence, slamming them with four charges bordering on rape, sexual assault, and the procurement of an unlawful abortion of the young girl’s pregnancy.
According to Police prosecutor, Temitope Fatoba, Femi, on or about the month of July 2023 at Powerline, Osogbo, Osun State, did unlawfully rape and indecently assault the girl who was serving as a housemaid to his mother.
Esther, aged 58, and Lawrence, aged 42, were accused of conspiring and unlawfully procuring an abortion for the victim.
Fatoba said the accused persons committed the offenses contrary to and punishable under Sections 358, 360, 516, and 328 of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
They pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
A counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, A. Amoo, had prayed the court to order the police to hand over the case file to the state, adding that the ministry would be taking over the prosecution of the matter.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara ordered the police to hand over the case file to the ministry and ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Correctional Center.The matter was adjourned till September 10, 2024, for mention.
