31st October, 2017
Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Ilasan Division, Lekki have arrested a dismissed Soldier, Mohammed Abdul, 29, a native of Anyangba area of Kogi State for allegedly beating a lady in Lekki, Uwa Asemota for refusing to follow him to his house to have sex.
A police source said that the timely intervention of the Female Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Ilasan Division, SP Onyinye Onwuemegbu saved the victim from being killed by the Soldier.
She was said to have despatched a team led by Orukotan Lonikola to the scene to arrest the suspect and bring him to the Station following distress calls from the public that a soldier was beating a lady along the Silverbird Road, Lekki, Lagos.
During investigation, according to the Police, the suspect identified himself as a serving soldier, but when the DPO was not convinced, she notified the military police at the Bonny Camp Cantonment, Victoria Island about the development and they came to the Station to pick the suspect and took him to their Military base for interrogation.
Police alleged that after the millitary police investigated the suspect, they brought him back to the station and told the DP0 that Abdul was a dismissed soldier from the Nigerian Army for deserting the Force in Borno State.
Narating her ordeals in the hands of the 5oldier to the Ppoolice, Asemota allegedly stated; “I was on my way to work on the day of the incident when the suspect in army uniform accosted me along the Silver bird Road, Lekki and introduced himself as a Military officer.
“The soldier later told me that I was too beautiful and that if I refused to follow him to his house to have sex, he would kill me, boasting that he had killed many Boko Haram suspects in Borno State and that if he kill me, nothing will happen,” she said.
Asemota said that she was shocked because she had never experience such maltreatment in her life and had not met the soldier in her life.
“The soldier later collected my phone and bag in broad daylight and remove his belt to tie my two hands and started beating me and anyone who come closer to beg him to spare me, he will hit the person with his fist and they will run away and I became scared and knelt down on the road and started begging him to spare my life all to no avail“.
She stated that the soldier was about to forcefully take her away when the police from Ilasan Division, Lekki came to the scene to rescued her.
Abdul was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on one count charge of unlawfully assaulting Uwa Asemota and tying her hands with belt against her will.
Police prosecutor, Kingsley Johnson informed the court in charge number D/81/2017 that the accused committed the offence on 17 October, 2017 along Silverbird Road, Jakande, Lagos.
Johnson told the Court that the accused assaulted the complainant in the public by using belt to tie her hands for no Just cause.
He said the offence committed is punishable under section 172 of the criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and Chief Magistrate A.O Komolafe granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till 22 November, 2017 for mention.
Komolafe ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi Prison till he is able to meet the bail condiitions.