Lagos man in court for defiling 15-year-old girl

The police in Lagos State have arraigned a 36-year-old man, Joseph Bankole, before a magistrates’ court in Ogba area for defiling a 15-year-old girl in an uncompleted building on Oduntan Street, Mushin. The prosecutor, Victor Eruada, told the court that the accused was caught in the act by a neighbour who trailed them to the […]

The police in Lagos State have arraigned a 36-year-old man, Joseph Bankole, before a magistrates’ court in Ogba area for defiling a 15-year-old girl in an uncompleted building on Oduntan Street, Mushin.

The prosecutor, Victor Eruada, told the court that the accused was caught in the act by a neighbour who trailed them to the uncompleted house.

Eruada said, “The neighbour said the accused was fond of playing with teenage girls in the neighbourhood and giving them money after sending them on errands.”

The prosecutor further told the court that after they were caught, the girl said the accused lured her into the uncompleted house and that she never knew that his intention was to engage her in sex.

He said further investigation revealed that the accused was a serial rapist who lured underage girls into sex by promising them money.

The court did not take the plea of the accused as the prosecutor asked it to refer the matter to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

The Magistrate, Mrs M. O. Tonimola, ordered that a duplicate copy of the case be sent to DPP and that the accused be remanded at a correctional centre without an option of bail, and adjourned the case to November 6, 2021.