A 45-year-old man, Mike Okoro, has been ordered into custody at the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre, Ekiti State, for the alleged defilement of a nine-year-old girl.
Okoro, whose residential address was not disclosed, was arraigned by the police on Thursday before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on a charge of rape.
According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Abiodun Bamidele, the incident occurred on September 3 in Ijesha Isu-Ekiti. He alleged that the defendant lured the minor, who had been sent on an errand by her mother, and sexually assaulted her.
Bamidele also told the court that the child later confided in her mother about the assault, which led to the suspect’s arrest.
The prosecutor requested that the defendant be remanded in custody pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, stressing that the offence contravenes Section 31 of the Ekiti State Child Rights Law, 2021.
Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, who declined to take Okoro’s plea, directed that the case file be forwarded to the DPP for review.
The case was adjourned until October 10 for mention.