Daycare worker in court for allegedly defiling toddler

A 35-year-old daycare worker, Veronica Vincent, yesterday appeared in a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, for allegedly defiling a 21-month-old toddler in her care. The police charged Vincent with two counts of sexual assault but she pleaded not guilty.

The police prosecutor, O.A. Bajulaiye-Bishi, alleged that Vincent committed the offence on February 12, 2019, at a daycare run by her in her residence located at No. 33, Ararat Street, Egbeda, Lagos.

Bajulaiye-Bishi alleged that the victim’s mother took her daughter for medical examination, and doctors confirmed the alleged defilement. The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.

Following Vincent’s arraignment, defence counsel, J.U. Ibojoh, moved his application for bail dated November 22, 2019. Ibojoh prayed the court to admit his client to bail because she has been in custody since she was arrested in February 2019. He noted that his client was a mother of a three-year-old daughter and has a reasonable surety in the person of her husband, who is a policeman.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, in a ruling, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million. Taiwo ordered the defendant to produce two sureties in like sum. She also ordered that one of the sureties must be her husband, Inspector Joseph Vincent and must provide his pay-slip, marriage certificate as well as evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government.

Justice Taiwo adjourned the case until March 26 for trial.