Court Remands 19-yr-old Apprentice for Allegedly Raping Minor in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

A Magistrate Court in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has remanded a 19-year-old apprentice, Babatunde Bobola, at the Correctional Centre for allegedly raping an eight-year-old girl.

THISDAY gathered that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on March 24, 2021, at Odige Street in Akure.

According to the state prosecutor, O.F Akeredolu,  the defendant had carnal knowledge of the minor, and was charged with rape by men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed ‘Amotekun’.

The charge read: “That you, Babatunde Bobola, did have carnal knowledge of an eight-year-old girl on or about March 24, 2022, at approximately 16:00 hours at Odige Street in Akure, a place within the criminal jurisdiction of this court.”

The prosecutor noted that the suspect violated Sections 357 and 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

Giving the severity of the defendant’s crime, Akeredolu requested that the suspect be remanded in the custody of the National Correctional Centre, which was backed by an affidavit.

Meanwhile, the defendant’s plea was not accepted due to a lack of jurisdiction.

The defendant was remanded in the Olokuta Correctional Centre by Magistrate N.K. Aladejana pending legal advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), while the matter was adjourned to June 13, 2022, for further mention.