Two friends who allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl in Ijeshatedo area of Lagos State were on Thursday docked at a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court.
The accused, Sunday David, 26, and Wahab Mayowa, 25, whose addresses were not disclosed in court, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful sexual intercourse and unlawful sexual penetration.
The prosecutor, Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the accused committed the offences at No. 176, Ijeshatedo Road, Surulere between June and October 2016.
She alleged that David, sometimes in June at the address stated above, unlawfully tore his victim’s pant and forcefully raped her in her aunt’s shop.
She said David narrated how he raped the girl to his friend, Mayowa, on October 17 and Mayowa also went to the same shop to unlawfully have carnal knowledge of the girl.
The prosecutor said that the girl was always in the shop in most evenings while her sister would have gone home to make their dinner.
Osayande, a police sergeant, noted that the offences contravened Sections 409, 258 and 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Ruling on the bail application, the chief magistrate, Ipaye Nwachukwu, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Nwachukwu ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and the other a community leader.
She added that they must be property owners in Lagos State and must provide evidence of tax payments.
Nwachukwu then adjourned the case till December 20 for receipt of legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions.
