Motorcyclist defiles two-year-old girl, assaults pregnant aunt

The police have arrested a 30-year-old motorcycle rider, Garuba
Abdulraman, for allegedly defiling a two-year-old, Pat, (pseudonym) in
the Somolu area of Lagos State.
A source learnt that Abdulraman, an indigene of Niger State, also
kicked the minor's pregnant aunty, Alimat Muazu, when the later
quizzed him on the child's whereabouts.
The incident happened on Saturday on Ofor Street.
A relative of the victim, who did not identify himself, said the
family did a medical test on her and it was discovered that her hymen
had been broken.
He added that the hospital subsequently placed her on medication.
He said, "It happened on Saturday, February 21, 2015 around 11.30am.
"Pat's mother lives in Gbagada, while her sister, Muazu, stays at
Somolu. She decided to visit Muazu that day.
"It was during the visit that the girl suddenly went missing and
everybody started looking for her.
"But somebody said he sighted Abdulraman, a motorcyclist, taking her
away. So, some women trailed the child to an uncompleted building
where he lives. When they got there, they met him and he didn't tell
them where the child was."
Firstclass newsline learnt that there was an exchange of words between
the women and the suspect, and in the ensuing scuffle, the suspect
kicked Muazu in the stomach.
He was also said to have threatened to use cutlass to hack them if
they moved closer.
A source was told that Abdulraman dared the family to report to the
police after which policemen from the Somolu Division were alerted.
A police source told firstclass newsline that a case of assault was
reported at the station.
He said, "When we got there, we found the girl in one of the rooms, in
a big bowl of water.
"She could barely move and when she tried, she fell down. She began to
cry. We didn't suspect anything until we saw that her pants and
clothes had been washed and hung on the line to dry. The suspect was
also not putting on any clothes."
The police were said to have taken the victim to the hospital where it
was confirmed that there was penetration.
Abdulraman was arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate's Court
on Tuesday on four counts of rape and assault.
The suspect, who spoke through an interpreter to the court, confirmed
that he assaulted Muazu and threatened to use cutlass on them.
He, however, denied raping the victim.
He said, "I don't know these people from anywhere. I had gone to their
compound when someone said he needed to buy plywoods.
"Pat came near myokadaand started playing with it, and those people
said I should help them carry her, which I did.
"After they finished buying the plywoods, they said they could still
not carry her, because they had a lot of load to carry. They asked me
to help them.
"It was while carrying her that she soiled her clothes and I decided
to wash it for her. I never had sex with her."
He added that he was forced to threaten the women with cutlass after
they stoned him.
The police prosecutor, Richard Odige, told the court that the offence
was punishable under sections 267, 137, 170 and 56 of the Criminal Law
of Lagos State Nigeria, 2011.
His defence counsel, F.S. Osordi, applied for bail, for the defendant,
asking the court to overlook Abdulraman's guilty plea to charges of
assault and threat to injure with cutlass.
"I am not really sure he understood what he was saying because he told
me a different thing before this court sat. We apply that the court
should order that count three be read to him again," he added.
The Chief Magistrate, O. I. Adelaja, however, admitted the defendant
to bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She said, "The sureties must show proofs of employment, tax payment,
and their addresses must be verified."
The matter was adjourned till April 8, 2015.
Firstclassnewsline.net