The Punch Newspaper reports that the Lagos
State Police Command has arrested a diploma holder, Samuel Onochie, for
allegedly sexually assaulting a pregnant woman, Esther (pseudonym), in Jakande,
in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the woman, said to be
eight-month-old pregnant, was passing through the area on Sunday at about 6am,
when Onochie ambushed her.
The 34-year-old suspect, who told the police
that he bagged a diploma in law from a university in Benin, Edo State, reportedly
threw Esther on the floor and stripped her wrapper.
It was gathered that he had dipped his finger
into Esther’s private parts and was about to penetrate her when a man was drawn
to the scene by the woman’s wailing.
The man was said to have held Onochie, who is
also a cobbler, while Esther rushed to the Ilasan Police Division and reported
the incident, leading to his arrest.
A police source told our correspondent that the
suspect had yet to explain why he allegedly committed the act.
“It is very disturbing that a man could commit
such an act, especially with a pregnant woman. As if it was not enough, he did
it in broad daylight. He has not been able to tell us why he committed the
act,” the source said.
Onochie was brought before a Tinubu Magistrate’s
Court on Wednesday on one count of sexual assault by a police prosecutor,
Inspector Philip Osijale.
The charge read, “That you, Samuel Onochie, 34,
on January 24, 2016, at about 6am, at Jakande, Lekki, in the Eti-Osa Local
Government Area, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did sexually assault
one Esther, by inserting your finger into her private parts, thereby committing
an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 259 of the Criminal Law of
Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge
and elected summary trial before the presiding magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi.
Owolabi granted him bail in the sum of N100,000
with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate said one of the sureties must be
related by blood to the defendant, adding that both sureties must have paid
three years tax to the Lagos State Government.
While adjourning the case till March 14, 2016,
Owolabi ordered that the defendant should be remanded in prison pending the
time he would perfect his bail conditions.
He told the prosecutor to send the case file to
the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
Say “NO” to RAPE and SEXUAL ABUSE – Walk
Against Rape Nigeria!
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