17th January, 2013
A 42-year old pastor, Alao Shobowale, on Wednesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with raping a 12-year old girl.
Shobowale, who resides at 10, Togodo Street, Temu, Epe, is facing a two-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse and sodomy.
The prosecutor, Inspector R. Odigie, said that the offences were committed on December 15, 2012 at about 10 p.m. at the defendant’s residence.
Odigie said that the girl lived with her aunty in the same compound as the defendant.
According to the prosecutor, the girl’s aunt noticed her absence from her room at about 9.30 p.m. and began searching the compound by calling her name but with no response.
“She went to the toilet, which is detached from the building, and discovered the girl and the defendant in it,” Odigie said.
The prosecutor said that when the aunt inquired from her niece what she was doing in the toilet with the pastor, the school girl said that the accused lured her into the toilet and had sex with her.
Odigie said that the girl also accused Sobowale of forcing his genital into her anus.
He said that the alleged offences contravened sections 137 and 259 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Oyindamola Ogala, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and transferred the case to the family court because of the age of the girl.
Ogala adjourned the case to March 15 for further hearing.