A 30-year-old man, Oyekola Dare, is risking a 10-year jail term for allegedly taking sexual advantage of a physically-challenged lady. The accused was dragged before an Ogba Chief Magistrate Court with sexual assault and rape on a 20-year-old lady.
The police said the incident took place last Thursday at Ogooluwa Close, Alakuko area of Lagos. Detectives revealed that both the accused and the complainant’s parents reside in the same compound.
According to detectives, Dare allegedly took advantage of the condition of the complaint who is suffering from Down syndrome. The police prosecutor, Michael Unah, said parents of the lady had been suspicious of the suspect, whom they claimed suddenly became closer to their daughter.
“Following the suspicion, the lady’s parent decided to keep a close watch on the accused. The watch paid off last Thursday when the accused was caught in the act. The matter was subsequently reported to the police, prompting Dare’s arrest “In the course of interrogation, he reportedly told the police and the lady’s parents that he was planning to get married to her,” the prosecutor said.
The police alleged that Dare was seen by their neighbours to have been sneaking into the victim’s apartment whenever they went to work. When he was charged before the court, his plea was not taken after the prosecutor, Mr. Michael Unah, asked the court to refer the matter to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) since it was a case of defilement, which attracts serious punishment if found culpable.
However, the defendant through his female counsel, objected to his remand in prison custody. She informed the court that the defendant and the lady were lovers and that the defendant was ready and prepared to marry her.
The presiding magistrate, Mr. A.A. Fashola, ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody and directed the prosecutor to send a duplicate copy to DPP for legal advice. The matter was adjourned till March 25, for the report of the DPP to be available.
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