41 Year Old Civil Servant Docked For Defiling a Child

Nathaniel Onwuegbulam, a civil servant, was on Wednesday arraigned at an Ikeja High Court, Lagos for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old student assigned to he and his spouse's care.

Onwuegbulam, 41, a resident of Ajisegiri St., Agodo, Lagos faces a charge of defilement of a child.

He, however, denied the charge and pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution led by Mr Adebayo Haroun, alleged that the civil servant committed the offence on Oct. 3, 2016 at his residence in Lagos.

“The complainant (name withheld) and the defendant are from the same village in Imo State, she was handed over to the defendant and his wife to oversee her welfare in Lagos by her parents in the village.

“A social worker was alerted anonymously that the defendant was having unlawful carnal knowledge of the complainant.

“The claim was investigated by the social worker and the child allegedly confirmed that the abuse occurred on several occasions.

“The authorities were subsequently alerted and the defendant was apprehended,” Haroun said.

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya upheld the bail conditions earlier granted to Onwuegbulam by a Magistrates' Court and adjourned the case till Nov. 22 for trial.

Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State recommends a life sentence for the offence of defilement of a child. 

In another similar case, 19-year-old student, Joseph Idoh was on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly defiling the six-year-old daughter of his neighbour.

The teenager who resides at the Orile area of Agege, a suburb of Lagos is facing a one-count charge of defiling a child. He pleaded not guilty and claimed innocence of the charge proffered against him.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Adebayo Haroun, Idoh committed the offences on Jan. 20, 2016 at his Orile residence.

“The child's mother has passed away and her father has been solely in charge of the upbringing of the complainant and her siblings.

“On one fateful day, she approached her father complaining of pains in her private part and disclosed to him that Idoh, their neighbour has on various occasions, been having sexual intercourse with her.

“Her father, devastated by the claims, reported the matter to the police and the defendant was arrested,” Haroun said.

According to him, the offence was in contravention of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011. 

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya upheld the bail conditions previously granted to Idoh by a Magistrates' Court and adjourned the case till Nov. 20 for trial.