An Edo State High Court has ordered the remand of a father for allegedly defiling his daughter who is just a year and three months old.
The suspect, Yahaya Oisamaiye, who appeared before Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo, was represented by Dan Okoh (SAN), Musa Bello, Uwa Okoh and C.O. Omozugbonwen.
According to The PUNCH, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the crime which he was said to have committed on February 7th.
Ousamaiye’s charge read: “That you, Yahaya Oisamaiye, on or about February 7, 2022, between 5am and 6am, on Brisbourne Iyamu Street, GRA, Benin City, in the Benin Judicial Division, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of (name withheld) aged 15 months, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 4 and punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Edo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021.”
However, the police prosecutor, I. E. Ekibade, urged the court to remand Oisamaiye, citing the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Edo State 2016.
“Section 293(1) provides that when a suspect is arrested for an offence which a magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction to try shall within a reasonable time of arrest be brought before a high court for remand,” Ekibade added.
Justice Imadegbelo subsequently ordered that Oisamaiye be remanded in a custodial centre in the state pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
