Lagos man rapes 9-year-old girl

Insp. Rachael Jacob-Osoola, an investigating police officer, described how a man named Abdulrahman Azirika allegedly defiled a nine-year-old papa seller (name withheld) in a market on Tuesday in front of the Ikeja Sexual Offenses and Domestic Violence Court.

An officer currently employed by the Lagos Police Command's Gender Section named Jacob-Osoola testified that the case of defilement was moved from Ketu Police Station on December 17, 2021.

Ms. Inumidun Solaarin, the state's attorney, ushered her into the witness stand.

The witness claimed that the survivor had been helping her aunt sell pap at Mile 2 Market when she was hauled to Lagos.

“The survivor told me she went to sell pap in the morning on Dec. 8, 2021, at the market square and the defendant’s house when he took her to his room, locked the door, pushed her onto the bed and had sex with her.

“The survivor said she wanted to shout but the defendant covered her mouth. She also said the defendant had sex with her on Dec. 6 and 7, two days prior to the day he was caught by a passerby.

“She said on Dec. 8 when he had sex with her for the third time, she did not enjoy it again, the reason she shouted and someone rescued her from the defendant and took her to the security post in the market before he was taken to the police station,” she said.

A certified copy of the extrajudicial statements made by the complainant, defendant, and survivor that were admitted into evidence was provided by the prosecution.

The witness told the court during cross-examination by Mr. Joseph Asine, the defense attorney, that the complainant and the survivor were the ones who told her the entire story.

She said that the complainant was the survivor's aunt.

The witness insisted that although she looked into the case, her colleague Insp. Lawrence was the one who went to the crime scene.

“The IPO in Ketu, Insp Patricia also visited the scene of the crime before the case was transferred to the Gender Unit in Ikeja,” she said.

According to NAN, the defendant had already entered a not-guilty plea to the allegation of defilement.

The case was postponed until March 29 so that the trial could continue. Justice Ramon Oshodi.

Source