A man identified as Daniel Udeme has denied the rape charge against him over an 11-year old girl, saying that she consented to sleeping with him.
The 24-year-old was detained by the Police operatives but later transferred to the Gender Section of the Police Command, Lagos, for defiling the victim because of her age. The incident happened at Ogbowankwo Lane, Ajegunle area of Lagos
According to sources, the victim’s parent got to know and reported the alleged rape to the Police in the area and Udeme was arrested and detained for interrogation, and during the interrogation, Udeme told the Police that girls within such age bracket usually have sex without any disturbance in their area and the victim never complained that she was raped because she consented to it before they embarked on the romp before her parents knew.
However, the Police found Udeme culpable and later charged him before the Ogba Magistrates Court for defilement which attracts several years of imprisonment if he is tried and found guilty before the Court.
The Court did not take his plea after the prosecutor, Mr. Christopher John, asked the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice. Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E. Nwaka, ordered him to be remanded in prison custody without an option of bail.
The Court also directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send to the DPP for advice. The matter was adjourned till 16th April, 2020.P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the matter may be transferred to the High Court if the DPP finds him culpable and recommends his trial for the alleged offense.
