A 26-year-old man has been remanded in prison for raping an 11-year-old physically challenged girl in Ondo state.
The defendant was brought to court on a count charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor contrary to and punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State 2006.
The suspect, Dayo Olatunde, was said to have committed the crime at Ode Irele in Irele Local government Area of the state.
While narrating the incident before the court, the minor said she was in her mother’s shop when the defendant lured and dragged her inside his room where she said he forcefully defiled her.
The victim who demonstrated all that happened with sign language while her father, Akinyemi Omoyajowo interpreted her narration as directed by the Magistrate added that Olatunde also tore her cloth and pant while trying to have his way.
“I was in my mother’s shop at No 5 Egunmomoh street, Ode Irele in Irele local government when one Olatunde Dayo called me and I went to meet him forced me inside his room and locked up his door and raped me.
“I reported the incident to my parents and they invited the police and apprehended the victim,” she explained.”
On his part, the defendant who disclosed that he used to give the little girl money sometimes told the court that he did not know what came over him on that fateful day.
Magistrate O R Yakubu who frowned at the rate of sexual harassment against minors in the society advised the father of the victim to ensure he enrolled his child in a school for the mute.
According to her, such an incident would have been averted if the victim was in school adding that the defendant capitalised on her disability situation to lure her to bed.
Yakubu, however, ordered that the defendant should be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Centre till November 22.
