Landlord, tenant arraigned for defiling 13-year-old housemaid

A 51-year-old landlord, Ishola Idris, and his 35-year-old tenant, Linus Okonkwo, on Tuesday, arraigned before a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Ikeja for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old housemaid.

It was learnt that the housemaid was living with her guardian on Celestial Road, Igando, Lagos, where the incident occurred.

According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Simon Imhowa, the defendants committed the offence between January and August 2017.

Imhowa said the victim’s father had received a call from the landlord asking him to come and take the child from the guardian.

“The landlord called the victim’s father to come and pick her from the guardian because the latter want to use her for money ritual.

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“But on getting there, the father discovered that the landlord had been having sexual intercourse with the daughter since January 2017 till August 10, 2017, when he received the call from the landlord.

“The victim also alleged that one of his guardian’s brothers, Linus, who was living in the house, had sexual intercourse with her in March 2017.

“The landlord allegedly converted the victim to a sex tool and threatened to kill her if she informed anybody,” Imhowa said.

The accused were arraigned on two counts bordering on child defilement and sexual assault, which they pleaded not guilty to.

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According to the police, the crime contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Magistrate, Bolanle Osunsanmi, granted each of them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

The case was therefore, adjourned till October 12, 2017 for mention.