Police Dock Man For Rape, Abortion

Police in Lagos have arraigned a man, Sherif Afolabi, for raping a 16-year-old girl in Ilogbo, Ajangbadi suburb of Lagos.

Police during hearing at the Apapa Magistrate's Court said the 31-year-old defiled the girl who was a virgin at that time in December 2013.

The girl kept mute about the incident but noticed she had gotten pregnant months later. She informed Sherif Afolabi who allegedly gave her some drugs to terminate it.

The situation went out of hand when the girl became unconscious due to the effect the drugs. The parents of the girl reported the matter to the Ilemba-Hausa Police Division who arrested the man.

The defendant was subsequently arrested and arraigned before the Magistrate, Mrs. O.I. Adelaja, on two counts bordering on rape and abortion.

The charges read, “That you, Sherif Afolabi, on December 2013, at the Ilogbo area of Ajangbadi, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did have unlawful sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl (name withheld) and defiled her virginity, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. That you, sometime in 2014, at about 10am, at the Ilogbo area of Ajangbadi, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully procure abortion of an unborn child by terminating the pregnancy of a 16-year-old girl (name witheld), and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 234 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

Afolabi, however pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of N200,000 with a surety in like sum.

The cased has been adjourned till Monday, December 1, 2014.