Police arraign three teenagers for gang-raping 13-year-old girl

Three teenagers, Elijah Adebowale, Suleiman Balogun and Shefiu Adam, were on Thursday charged before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over the alleged gang-rape of a 13-year-old girl.

Adebowale (15), Balogun (16) and Adam (14), who all reside at the Iju area of Lagos, are being tried on two counts of conspiracy and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Rita Momah, told the court that the teenagers and three others, now at large, committed the offences on October 5, in an uncompleted building at Olopade St., Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

Momah said the accused all conspired to lure the 13-year-old to the building, where the six of them took turns with her.

She explained that the accused persons spotted the 13-year-old coming out of a church and sent her to get drinks for them.

According to Momah, the accused offered the 13-year-old a bottle of assorted drink that was already spiked and each of them all had carnal knowledge of her.

The prosecution submitted that the offences contravened Sections 409 and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against them.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of child rape.

The judge, Mr F.A Adeeyo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N300, 000 each, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to December 7, for continuation of hearing.