COMMUNITY LEADER ARRAIGNED IN COURT OVER ALLEGED RAPE OF 12 YEAR OLD GIRL

“While I was waiting for my mother at the shop, I decided to go to a neighbour to help me call my mother on phone. Before I could get to the neighbour’s house, I changed my mind and turned back because I did not want to upset my mother’, she narrated.

‘ As I was returning to the shop, Jatto called me to help him take a book to his wife and I refused because I did not want my mother to get to the shop and not meet me there. He insisted and as I walked close to him, he held my hand, closed my mouth with his other hand and dragged me to the back of his house by the fish-pond’.

“He removed my pant, brought out his ‘baby’ (penis) and forced it inside my baby (private part). It was so painful. When he finished, he gave me N200 and turned my back, tried to do the same thing. I picked my pant from the floor and ran,” she said.

Penpushing further reports that, the victim in the courtroom  said she reported the incident to her mother immediately, adding that, ’my mother cried, fell down, and couldn’t move. She informed the Police, and they took us to the Police Station the next day,” .

The victim’s mother while speaking in the court room said after the defendant was initially released at the police station, the police officer investigating the case began putting pressure on her to agree on a peaceful settlement of the matter with the defendant, but she refused.

Penpushing also reports that, the mother told the court that she was later contacted by officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in the State who assured that justice would prevail on the matter.

The official of the Ministry was quoted saying that, the State Government was keen on protecting children, while the prosecution opposed the defendant’s bail application who argued that his release could cause distraction and scuttle the case.

Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned to May 2 for hearing.