A choirmaster, Adewale
Babalola, was yesterday arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in
Lagos for allegedly raping a 16-year-old chorister.
Babalola, 36, who lives on
Maxwell Ijeh Street in Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, is being tried for alleged
unlawful sexual intercourse.
Prosecuting Assistant
Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Anyanwu said the accused committed the
offence on December 2, 2014 in his apartment.
He said the accused took
undue advantage of his relationship with the teenager as her choirmaster at the
Christ Our Light Glory Church, Sanya in Surulere, to commit the crime.
“The girl told her father,
who is also an evangelist in the church that the accused lured her into his
room and forcefully raped her.
“The father reported the
matter to the General Overseer of the church, but no action was taken which
compelled the victim’s father to report the matter at the police station,”
Anyanwu said.
The offence, Anyanwu noted,
violated Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Babalola pleaded not guilty.
Chief Magistrate A.O.
Soladoye directed that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public
Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
The magistrate granted the
accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. Chief Soladoye
adjourned the case till June 29.
The Nation
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