A 39- year-old man, Innocent Azamarogbe, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly raping his niece.
The accused, a trader, who resides at Block A, Flat 1, Alausa Barracks, Ikeja, is facing a count charge of rape.
The prosecutor, Raphael Donny, told the court that the offence was committed sometimes in 2016 and April 2017 at the defendant’s residence.
Donny said that the victim, a 14-year-old girl, who is the defendant’s niece, stays with him.
He said: “The accused has been molesting the girl since 2016 but she kept to herself until her mother paid a visit.
“The girl told her mother what the accused had been doing with her and the woman went to the police station to lodge a complaint.
“Hence, the accused was arrested.”
The offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Folakemi Davies-Abegunde, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.
Davies-Abegunde adjourned the case until July 31 for the Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.