Cleric who allegedly defiled neighbour’s daughter remanded

(NAN)An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday remanded an Islamic cleric, Morufu Salaudeen, who allegedly defiled his neighbor’s five-year-old daughter.

Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi ordered that Salaudeen should be kept at the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, pending advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Thus, the court did not take the plea of the defendant.

The magistrate adjourned the case until May 1 for a mention.

Salaudeen, 28, who resides on Olushola Street, Agbelekale, Aboru, Lagos, was charged with child defilement.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Raphael Donny, alleged that the defendant committed the offense on Jan. 19, on Joblanso Street, Aboru, Lagos.

“The defendant lured the little girl to the backyard and sexually assaulted her and took away her pants,” the prosecutor said.

He said that the girl’s mother reported the case, and the defendant was arrested.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged offense contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and is punishable with up to life imprisonment.

In a related development, a 38-year-old cleric, Abdusalam Murital, who allegedly attempted to set his landlord’s house on fire, on Wednesday appeared in a Yaba Magistrates’ court in Lagos.

The police charged Murital, who resides in the Makoko area of Yaba with attempted arson.

Police Prosecutor,  Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, said the defendant committed the offense at 4 p.m. on March 27, at No. 18, Igbegandu str., Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos.

He alleged that the defendant who has had altercations with the landlord, Mr Samuel Ojuri, over his house rent,  threatened to destroy the property.

Oriabure further told the court that the defendant put a pot of food on his burner and went out.

He said that the next door neighbor, who smelt the burning pot, broke into the defendant’s room to put out the fire.

The offense, he said, contravened the provisions of  Section 342 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised)

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 342 prescribes a 14-year jail term for the offense of attempted arson, upon conviction.

Chief Magistrate Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ojuromi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.