30th August, 2010
The police have arrested a man, Mr. Adewale Ibrahim Sanusi, 47, for allegedly defiling a four-year old girl (name withheld).
The suspect resides on 1, Ayegbami Street, Ijede, Ikorodu Local Government Area, Lagos, Nigeria.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the suspect was arrested after the victim, who is living with her grandmother at the residence, reported the incident to her mother, Aina Olayiwola, 24.
Mrs. Olayiwola said the little girl told her when she was about to sleep on Sunday night that the accused had sex with her after luring her with puff-puff.
‘‘We were about to sleep on Sunday evening when she called me and told me repeatedly that Baba Ruka had sex with her. I reported the matter to my husband and the police were invited.
‘‘The police gave us a letter to the hospital and the doctors there confirmed that she was sexually harassed,’’ she narrated.
A medical report from the Ikorodu General Hospital with reference number 9218, signed by Dr. Akintola O.M., dated 23 August, 2010, confirmed the sexual assault thus: ‘‘Upon examination, I found as follows: Foul odour from virginal origin, hymen broken and no bruises in the external genitalia.’’
Investigations revealed that policemen at Ijede Police Station initially granted the alleged rapist bail but was later re-arrested on the order of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo.
Responding to the allegation, the suspect, who claimed to be a grandfather and divorced, denied raping the victim.
He accused the victim’s grandmother of plotting against him because of the misunderstanding between them.
He said he could not have done such a thing when he had children of his own.
But reacting to his defence, Lagos Police Command spokesman, Frank Mba, told him that the little girl could not have lied against him since he was not the only man in the house.
Mba transferred the case back to Ijede Police Station and directed the investigating police officer (IPO), Mr. Gimba Daniel, to take action.
—Paul Sanusi