The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three suspects for allegedly defiling a 15-year-old girl.
The police have also stepped up a manhunt for one of the suspects who is on the run.
The Festac Police Division arrested the suspects, but they were released on bail.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim has accused the Festac Police Division of not doing the needful as they have failed to charge the suspects to court. The family has petitioned the Lagos State police commissioner to wade into the matter and get justice for the girl.
The family also called on the attorney general of Lagos State, Director of Public Prosecution and the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to intervene, so that justice would prevail.
The petition by the survivor’s attorney, G.E Anaba, senior partner of Ruhm & Associate, Lagos, called for the immediate prosecution of the suspects, Desmond, Leonard, Craig and Henry.
Anaba’s petition read, “We are solicitors to Miss (names withheld), hereinafter referred to as ‘Our Client’. We hereby submit this petition to draw attention to the grave issue of sexual harassment faced by a 15-year-old girl, which commenced when she just turned 13 years of age at the hands of the above-mentioned persons. This incident has not only caused profound psychological harm to the victim but also violates her fundamental rights and the laws of Nigeria.
“That, in 2022, Mr. Desmond approached our client while she was riding a bicycle with other children in Corporation Estate, Amuwo Odofin, where they both reside, and started conversing with her.
“The conversation ended with him taking her number. A few days after this, he invited her to his house where himself and Mr. Craig were present. He then forced our client to give both himself and Mr. Craig oral sex and forced her to swallow the sperm, after which he proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her despite the fact that she is a minor. Following this, he told her that if she told anyone, he would post videos of her having sex on the Internet and sent her a website address [www.shares.com] to show that he intended to make good his threat.
“Also, Mr. Desmond was in the habit of giving our client alcohol before carrying out these crimes. On the first occasion of Mr. Desmond defiling our client, he did so without any protection whatsoever and asked her to drink salt and water after he had his way with her.
“Our client also informed us that he continued these heinous acts till date and frequently too. He would reach out to her by sending her WhatsApp messages or call her phone number ordering her to come to his house in Corporation Estate. He would further threaten her that he would post her videos on the Internet, if she did not comply.
“In 2024, Desmond went with his friend Leonard to our client’s mother’s shop in Amuwo, where she sells shoes and t-shirts. He stated that they were there to buy some wares. Leonard then asked for our client’s number on the pretense that she send him some pictures of the new wares her mother would bring via WhatsApp.
“Some days after he collected her number, he opened conversations with our client on WhatsApp asking her to send pictures of some items from her mom’s shop, after which he asked her what relationship she had with Desmond. Our client opened up to him and told him all that transpired between her, Desmond and Mr. Craig and how he had continuously had carnal knowledge of her. Leonard then told our client to tell Desmond that she liked him and that they were in a relationship. Our client informed Desmond of this with hopes that it might protect her. However, Desmond hurled insults at her telling her that she should behave herself and show up when he called her to come to his house or risk being exposed.
“In May 2024, Leonard asked our client to come to Desmond’s house. Upon her arrival, they both forced our client to have oral sex and sexual intercourse with them that fateful day after which they gave her postinor 2 [a contraceptive pill].
“On the September 1, 2024, Mr. Henry Chiokwe contacted our client asking her to come to his house in Durbar Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, by 6pm on Friday September 20, 2024. That he had obtained her sex video from the person with whom she had sex at Corporation Estate. He stated that if she did not comply, he would post the said videos around the estate where she resides.
“It should be noted that our client and her family moved out of Corporation Estate into Durbar Estate in 2023. It was at this point that our client told her family, who reached out to us.
“We acknowledge that Nigeria has laws aimed at protecting minors from sexual offenses, including the Child Rights Act and provisions in the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
“More particularly, Section 137, Criminal Law of Lagos State, covers defilement of a child: ‘Any person who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a child is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.’
Section 148 of the Criminal Law of Lagos states that knowledge of age of victim is immaterial: ‘Except as otherwise expressly stated, it is immaterial, age immaterial. In the case of any of the offences defined in this Chapter committed with respect to a woman or girl under a specified age, that the defendant did not know that the woman or girl was under that age, or believed that she was not under that age.’
“These laws recognize the importance of safeguarding children against all forms of exploitation and violence. The actions of Mr. Desmond are in direct violation of these protections. Section 138 of the Criminal Law of Lagos states that a householder permitting defilement of a child on his premises is guilty of a felony: ‘Any person who, being the owner or occupier of any permitting premises, or having, acting, or assisting in the defilement of a management or control of any premises, induces or child on his knowingly permits any child to resort to or be in or on premises for the purpose of unlawful sexual intercourse or indecent dealing, is guilty of a felony and liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.’
“We are calling upon relevant authorities, including the Lagos State government, law enforcement agencies and child protection agencies, to take immediate action in this case. Specifically, we urge swift legal action and protection of the victim. Sexual harassment and defilement is an affront to human dignity and must be addressed decisively. Children have the right to grow up free from fear and harm.
“We hereby call on the authorities to take swift action against these persons to ensure that justice is served and to protect other potential victims from similar abuse.
“There are WhatsApp messages [as evidence] exchanged between our client and these perpetrators. Kindly find attached the birth certificate of our client to this petition.”