43-year-old allegedly defiles toddler in church

A Surulere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Thursday remanded a 43-year-old man, Ifeanyi Ndieze, who allegedly defiled a three-year-old girl in a church.

The court could not take the plea of the defendant as the Magistrate, Mrs M. I. Dan-Oni, said she needed advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She ordered that the defendant should be kept at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending the advice, and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the DPP.

Dan-Oni adjourned the case until Dec. 2 for mention.

The defendant, who resides at Karimu Street, Surulere, is facing a charge of defilement.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Courage Ekhueorohan, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on Oct. 29 at 8:00p.m at No. 18, Salau St., Surulere.

Ekhueorohan said that the defendant saw the toddler in a church and inserted his fingers in her private part in the guise of playing with her.

The prosecutor submitted that the defendant was arrested after the toddler told her mother what he did.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that defilement contravenes Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.