The Ogun State Police Command stated it had arrested a priest recognized as Timothy Adedibu for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old lady in Magboro, Obafemi Owode Native Authorities Space of the state.
PUNCH On-line learnt on Sunday that the incident occurred on February 15 after the uncle of the survivor raised the alarm over the incident.
The police stated the 65-year-old suspect was believed to be the chief of a church locally.
The household of the survivor informed the police that the clergyman was stated to have lured the minor into his residence in some unspecified time in the future and had carnal information of her.
The state police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, who spoke with PUNCH On-line on Sunday, confirmed the incident and famous that the investigation was ongoing.
She stated, “The pastor has been arrested. The household was issued types to permit the survivor to have a medical examination and therapy. All of the events shall be transferred to the headquarters for additional investigation.”
Equally, the command has arrested one other suspect recognized as Prince Dara for allegedly raping a 17-year-old lady in Abolaniyi Road, Idorawa, by way of Idi-Oke within the state.
The command informed PUNCH On-line on Saturday that the incident occurred on February 8, 2024.
The police stated the survivor, recognized merely as Odede, accused the suspect of luring her into his home on February 7 after he had seized her bag that contained her cell phone and different private results.
The police added that the suspect threatened the survivor with a knife and raped her a number of instances earlier than he lastly freed her.
Talking in regards to the incident, Odutola stated the surveillance groups had been instantly mobilised to the scene, including that the ”complete space was combed for helpful data, and the suspect was apprehended and delivered to the station for questioning.
“The sufferer was taken to the hospital for therapy. The case file and events concerned shall be transferred to the State Prison Investigation and Intelligence Division in Abeokuta for discreet investigation.”
Defilement is without doubt one of the sexual offences beneath Nigerian prison regulation.
Whereas reacting to the incident of defilement, a authorized practitioner and human rights lawyer, Collins Aigbogun, acknowledged in an unique interview with PUNCH On-line that anybody discovered responsible of the crime risked life imprisonment.
He stated, “The difficulty of defilement is just not a problem of the Structure. It is a matter of prison jurisprudence.
“For defilement of any lady beneath the age of 13, the individual is responsible of a felony and is answerable for imprisonment for all times. Ogun and Lagos states shared the similarities.”
