Godwin Waheed, a Lagos driver, has been remanded in Yaba Magistrate’s Court for allegedly kidnapping, detaining, and sexually assaulting a girl at the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.
The driver was brought before Magistrate Patrick Nwaka on Thursday on two counts of unlawful confinement, detention, and defilement of his alleged passenger.
The 44-year-old driver was accused of transporting the victim as a passenger in his Toyota Sienna before kidnapping, detaining, and defiling her.
According to the police, Waheed threatened her with a dagger and then penetrated her inside his car.
Luck was said to have run out on him when the fuel in his vehicle ran out, and he was unable to flee the scene.
He was apprehended after the victim raised an alarm.
According to Thomas Nurideen, the police prosecutor, Waheed committed the crime on October 15, 2023, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Third Mainland Bridge.
According to Nurudeen, the offenses violate Sections 272 and 26 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
The charges read, “That you, Godwin Waheed, on October 15, 2023, between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, unlawfully confined, detained, and absconded with one girl (name withheld), a passenger in your Toyota Sienna with registration No. ABJ 72 XB, absconded with her against her will to another destination, and fingered her private parts with one hand after threatening her to undress with a dagger, and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 272 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you, Godwin Waheed, on October 15, 2023, between 8 pm and 10 pm at Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did use your fingers to touch the private vagina of a girl (name withheld) having removed a dagger to threaten the victim before fuel exhausted in the vehicle on top of the bridge, and thereby, committed an offense punishable under Section 26 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
However, the defendant’s plea was not accepted.
The prosecutor asked the court to remand the driver in custody pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Nwaka granted the prosecutor’s request and remanded Waheed to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending legal advice from the DPP.
Nwaka also postponed the case until January 15, 2024, pending the DPP’s advice.
