A middle-aged man, Elvis Chris, has been arraigned at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for allegedly killing his four-year-old son with a hot electric iron.
Mr Chris, a resident of Meiran in Ojokoro area of the state, pleaded not guilty to one count of murder on his arraignment on Monday.
The court heard that sometime in July 2015, Chris allegedly killed his son by using a hot electric iron on his body.
The prosecutor, M. T. Adewoye, said the defendant allegedly dumped his son’s corpse in a plastic drum to cover up the alleged crime.
According to Adewoye, the said offence contravened Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Counsel representing Chris from the Office of the Public Defender, E. B. Obogwu, prayed the court to withdraw his appearance immediately after the arraignment.
Mr Obogwu said the matter involved a minor hence his withdrawal from the case.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi, in response to the request, said that the issue of the deceased’s age did not apply in a murder case.
The judge said the case involved life and therefore, the question of segregation in the murder of a child or minor did not arise.
The court ruled that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi Prison pending determination of the case.
The case was adjourned till November 13, 2019 for trial.
