Two men have appeared before the Justice Abiola Soladoye-led Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos State over accusations of engaging in child marriage and defilement.
According to reports made available to NIGERIACRIME, one of the defendants, Henry Onyekwere, connived with others who are on the run, to marry off a 16-year-old girl (name withheld) to the second defendant, Awele Odigo.
In August 2019, the suspects allegedly performed a customary marriage rite between the minor and Odigo on Musbau Ashafa Street, off Agbe Road, Abule Egba, Lagos.
It was gathered that they had earlier falsify the age of the minor and declared a wrong age in an affidavit sworn at a magistrate’s court in Ogba on June 30, 2021.
The second defendant, Odigo, was accused in count two of defilement, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2016.
He was said to have had sexual intercourse with the minor.
The defendant was also arraigned for unlawful engagement in child marriage contrary to Section 210 (24) A, B, C of the Child Rights Law 2015.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges as Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case till February 6, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command on Monday arraigned five people before a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl in the Buguma community in Asari Toru Local Government Area of the state.
Reports revealed that the suspects, Ebi Danagogo-Jack (23), Fubara George (22), Precious Omubo-Wokoma (20), Dennis Amaye-Lugard (53), and Alalibo Harry (32), are alleged to have, at different times, abused the minor sexually.
According to the charges, the suspects include the victim’s stepfather, her school class teacher, a pastor of a new generation church in Buguma and two area boys.
Some of the suspects are alleged to have started abusing the minor when she was six.
The Chief Magistrate, Menenen Poromon, after listening to lawyers in the matter, directed for an amendment of the charges and adjourned the case till 6th of December 2022, for the suspects to take their pleas and for bail consideration.