The police in Ado-Ekiti, on Tuesday, arraigned a 60-year-old woman, Deborah Ajisegbede, and one Ola Sunday, 21, before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged conspiracy and rape of a two-year-old girl.
The Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Insp. Opeyemi Osayinro, told the court that the offence was committed on June 27 at Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government area of Ekiti.
Osayinro told the court, that Ajisegbede, the great grandmother of the victim, was based in Kogi, where she engaged in petty trading.
He said that the mother of the victim dropped her with her great grandmother to enable her return to school.
The IPO further explained that Ajisegbede was, however, medically confirmed to be suffering from high blood pressure and, therefore, had to release the baby to her father every evening, while she would be returned to her in the morning, due to her health condition.
He said that Ajisegbede later discovered that the girl usually experienced pains in her private part each time she was bathing her, a situation that forced her to take her to a primary health centre for medical examination.
Osayinro said that the great grandmother was told at the primary health centre, to her amazement, that her granddaughter had been defiled.
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He stated that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Otun- Ekiti stepped into the matter when he got an anonymous call from the health centre seeking his intervention.
According to the IPO, the offence contravenes Section 31(2) of Child’s Right Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adefunmike Anoma, frowned at what she called incessant mismanagement of the care and welfare of minors as well as the carelessness of some parents and families.
Anoma said that these had led to increase in cases of assault and defilement of minors in the society.
She, however, granted Ajisegbede N20,000 bail, based on health condition, with one surety in like sum, while she ordered that Sunday be remanded in the Custodial Centre, pending issuance of legal advice.
The chief magistrate also ordered that the grandmother, the father-in-law and the mother of the victim be arrested over alleged negligence and culpability in the case and arraigned in the next adjourned date.
She, thereafter, adjourned the case till Aug. 12, for mention. (NAN)
