25-year old Man Arraigned for Defiling 10-year ol Girl.
Day after day parents are no longer having time to teach, guide or care for their children. The society is increasingly becoming a place where parents are running after wealth leaving their children especially young girls to be exposed to all sorts of sexual harassment to the extent that these girls will be persuaded not to disclose the assault on them to anybody even their mothers. If parents are always there for these children as their first friend, most of these young girls will not be exposed or persuaded to unwholesome challenges.
In Ibadan, a 25-year old man – Mr. Oladiran Sayo was charged before Magistrate Court 1 holding at Iwo Road for defiling a 10-year old girl. Sayo was docked on one-count charge which stated that between the month of May and June 2018 at Best-Way area of Iwo Road, Ibadan in the Ibadan Magisterial District have unlawful carnal knowledge of one 10-year old girl (name withheld) without her consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 218 of criminal code cap 38 volume II law Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.
Oladiran Sayo denied the charge and pleaded not guilty before the Magistrate. According to his statement, the only day he met the 10-year old girl was the day he went to eat rice from a woman seller in the area. While eating, Sayo revealed that he sighted Biodun and the girl then he called them and ordered them to buy rice that he would pay. Both Biodun and the 10-year old girl (name withheld) bought N250 (US$ 0.69) rice and he paid for the two girls, he further revealed to the Court. Later he approached Biodun that they should be friends but she refused his request and he left her but did not have ‘affair’ with the 10-year old girl at all.
Prosecutor ASP Ogunremi gave account of the incidence that the case was reported to the Agodi Station by the girl’s mother (Mrs. A .- full name edited out) who lived at Best-way area, Iwo Road, Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria against Mr. Oladiran Sayo of the same area that the suspect had unlawful carnal knowledge of her daughter, a 10-year old.
The Prosecutor told the Court that Mrs. A. reproted that on the 9th of May 2018 at about 9:30pm, she was summoned by a neighbor (Mummy B – name editted) who told her that she heard it from one other girl that Sayo had sexual intercourse with Mrs. A’s 10-year old girl, an incident which Biodun too confirmed. Thereafter, Mrs. A. told police that she went to Sayo’s house with neighbors to confront Sayo. On getting there, people from Sayo’s house started abusing Sayo that he is not a responsible person at all. She left for Sayo brother’s house at Bestway area and Sayo’s Brother told them that it has been a while he saw Sayo. When they left there, the 10-year old insisted, it was Sayo that defiled her.
ASP Ogunremi continued that Miss Abiodun told the police that on the 9th of July 2018, which was after about a month, one Miss Omolade came to her house and informed her that she wanted to see the 10year-old girl and she helped her to call the 10year-old and Miss Omolade asked the 10year old what happened between her and Sayo. The 10-year old girl initially denied any incident, but later told the truth that ‘brother’ Sayo had sexual intercourse with her twice and warned her not to tell anyone and the 10-year old went to school after the sexual incident. Abiodun further told the police that later in the evening, she told her mother about what she heard in the morning and that is how her mother sent for Mrs. A. to inform her. Miss Biodun however denied she was dating Sayo.
Sayo was ordered to be remanded in Agodi prison by Magistrate Taiwo Olaniran for further investigation because defilement charge is not a bail-able offence and the case was adjourned to the 8th of August, 2018 for ruling.
Meanwhile, it is not merely reading the above news that suffice, but the need for parents to learn lessons about adequate feeding and regular counseling of their wards – male and female, while adolescence and youths should learn to curb their greed for free gifts. Other lessons learnable from the story can help the society at preventing misdemeanors, crimes and other forms of delinquencies among the youths.