Lawyer accused of fondling 9-yr-old girl arraigned

 

Lagos—A 40-year-old lawyer, who was alleged to have fondled a nine-year-old girl at Tinubu Magistrate’s Court premises, Wednesday, was yesterday arraigned before the court by the police.

The defendant, who is facing a three-count charge, was arraigned in the chambers of Magistrate L. A. Owolabi.

The lawyer, who, it was gathered, pleaded not guilty to the charges, was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He was, however, remanded at Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos, pending when he is able to perfect his bail conditions.

The grandmother of the victim, who spoke to Vanguard at the premises of the court, said that she had wanted the little girl to stay back in Nigeria with her before the incident occurred.

She said that they had not been able to tell the girl’s mother, as she is not a Nigerian, adding that when they called the little girl’s mother on phone on Wednesday, the only thing she was able to tell her was that she was ill and taken to the hospital.

It was gathered that the little girl had only spent four days in Nigeria before the incident took place.

It will be recalled that the victim, who was said to have just arrived the country from England, had accompanied her grandmother, who had a civil case in court and needed a lawyer.

At the court, she enquired from a court clerk of a lawyer who could help her handle the case and was referred to the said lawyer.

The lawyer, it was gathered, allegedly lured the little girl to an alley within the court premises and fondled her private part.

The cry of the little girl attracted the grandmother, who asked her what the matter was and she pointed to the lawyer, and narrated what had happened.