BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Police in Osun State have arrested two men for allegedly defiling and raping two girls at separate locations in the state.
While a 23-year-old Babatunde Kazeem was accused of defiling and sexually exploiting a girl, aged 14, a commercial motorcycle operator, Rabiu Taofeek, aged 23, allegedly forced his 20-year-old girlfriend to bed.
The duo were arraigned by the Police at Osogbo Magistrate Courts for offences bordering on rape, assault and sexual exploitation.
Police docked Kazeem before Magistrate Oyindamola Daramola and alleged that he unlawfully raped a 14-year-old girl on July, 2023 at about 6:00pm at Oke-Baale area, Osogbo.
The prosecutor, Inspector Fatoba Temitope, informed the court that the defendant took advantage of the victim’s “greenness”, sexually exploited and indecently assaulted her.
Temitope said Kazeem committed offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 2(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of Osun State 2021 and Section 32 of the Child’s Rights Laws of Osun State 2007.
The defendant also contravened Section 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
Kazeem pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Daramola ordered that Kazeem be remanded in Ilesa correctional facility till October 10, 2023 when the matter would be mentioned.
She ordered the prosecutor to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution, State Ministry of Justice for action.
Taofeek was accused of raping, unlawfully and indecently assaulting a 20-year-old girl on July 26, 2023 at about 8:00pm in Ikire, an offence that contravened Sections 358 and 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
He entered into a not-guilty plea. His counsels, M. A. Oyetola and Najite Okobe urged the court to grant him bail.
Magistrate A. A. Adeyeba granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 and one surety in the like sum. He said the surety must be a man or woman of means who is residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
The matter was adjourned till September 29.