police arraign a painter for raping three-year-old

The police have arraigned 25-year-old painter, Hamzat Afeez, for
allegedly raping a three-year-old girl in the Egbeda area of Lagos
State.
He was arraigned on one count of rape at the Ebute Meta Chief
Magistrate's Court.
A source had reported how Afeez allegedly took the victim's younger
sister into his room while their mother washed clothes in the house.
The victim was said to have followed Afeez into his room in a bid to
play with her sister.
Our correspondent was told that the suspect raped her.
She was said to have narrated the incident to her parents, who alerted
policemen from the Gowon Estate Police Station.
The source reported that the suspect, in an attempt to cover up the
case, offered to compensate the victim's family with N100, 000 as
payment for her medical bills.
He was said to have been subsequently granted bail by the police.
After our correspondent reported the incident, the Lagos State
Government and a non-governmental organisation, Project Alert on
Violence Against Women, intervened and the suspect was re-arrested.
He was arraigned on one count of rape.
Firstclass
The charge reads, "That you, Hamzat Afeez aka AZ, on December 13,
2014, at about 2.45pm at Remi Ogunjimi Street, Egbeda, Lagos, in the
Lagos Magisterial District, did have sexual intercourse with a minor,
three-year-old, and thereby committed an offence punishable under
Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011."
He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.A. Demi-Ajayi, granted him bail in the
sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Meanwhile,firstclass newslinehas learnt that the victim, her sister
and mother, had been taken into custody by the Lagos State Government,
pending when a permanent relocation arrangement would be made for
them.
The victim's father, Okechukwu, said the NGO had assisted the family
with some money.
He added that he was seeking a new apartment in another area of the state.
He said he looked forward to resettling with his family after the
trauma of the incident.
He said, "We are no longer living in Egbeda. The state government has
taken custody of my wife and kids since the incident to protect them
while I am trying to get new accommodation."
The Executive Director of Project Alert, Mrs. Josephine
Effah-Chukwuma, said the group would not give up until it gave justice
to the victim.
Firstclassnewsline.net