Court grants N5m bail to accused charged with raping minor

Magistrate W. B. Balogun sitting at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday granted a N5 million bail to 32- year-old Abeng Oji charged with defiling a six-year-old minor.

Balogun also ordered the accused horticulturist to produce two sureties who must own properties supported with genuine Certificates of occupancy (C of O).


He said that such properties must be within the jurisdiction of the court.

The magistrate also ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.

Balogun then adjourned the case to April 13 for mention.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Feddy Asu, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Jan. 30, at 06: 00 a.m, at Ologolo community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

He said that the accused unlawfully had a carnal knowledge of a six-year-old girl.

Asu said that the accused had access to the house of his victim because he worked as an apprentice with her father.

"The accused had a carnal knowledge of the girl when he knew that her parents had gone out," he said.

Asu said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 137 provides life imprisonment for offenders.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was first arraigned.