Scales of Justice

A security guard, Mathew Aziegbemi, was on Friday brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly assaulting a seven-year-old girl sexually.

Aziegbemi, who resides at Araromi St, Mile 12, near Lagos, is facing a count charge of defilement, an offence which attracts 14 years in prison, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

The Prosecutor, Mr Lucky Ihiehie, said that the accused committed the offence at Araromi street in Mile 12, Lagos, on Nov. 5.

Ihiehie alleged that the mother of the girl noticed she had wound on her private part and later lodged the complaint at the Ketu Police Station.

“The girl’s mother said that she noticed the wound on her daughter’s private part when bathing her and asked her what happened to her and who touched her there, but she didn’t talk.

“She wanted to beat her so that she would talk, but a neighbour advised her not to beat her, but rather pet her to talk,” the prosecutor said.

He said that after a while, the girl said that on Saturday, Nov. 4, when she was in their neighbour’s house watching film, the accused called her for an errand.

The prosecutor said that the accused took her to a corner of the compound and touched her private part.

He said that according to the girl’s mother, her daughter told her that was not the first time the accused would touch her there but the third, and he always gave her biscuit and sweet or bread after.

The prosecutor said that the action of the accused contravened Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties.

She ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and must be gainfully employed.

The case was adjourned untill Jan. 29, 2018 for further hearing.