They were remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos on the orders of the presiding magistrate, Mrs. Sherry Solebo, pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions.
The accused, Lateef Bashiru, 26, Hassan Asunmo, 20 and 21- year old Niyi Oni were arrested after they abducted the victim on the road and took her to a place where they took turns to rape her.
They were arrested at 16, Adegboyega Street, Akesan, Lagos owned by one of the suspects who is now on the run.
They are facing charges of abduction and rape under sections 225 and 355 of the Criminal Code, Cap.17, Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.
P.M.NEWS gathered that the defendants were caught after neighbours came to the rescue of the girl who was shouting as he was being raped. Policemen from Ejigbo Station were invited and the accused were arrested.
They were charged to court after interrogation.
The second-count of the charge reads: “That you, the defendants on the same date, place and time did abduct the victim and had unlawful carnal knowledge of the victim.”
They pleaded not guilty and the presiding magistrate granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the matter till 18 January, 2012.
Section 225 of the Criminal Code prescribes two years imprisonment for anyone found guilty under the section while Section 355 prescribes three years for offenders found guilty under the section.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Development, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has scheduled a conference on rape cases among youths in the country for today.
A statement issued by his Senior Assistant on Media, Mr. Julius Ogunro, on Sunday in Abuja, quoted the minister as saying that “rape and violence against women or any group of persons has no place in our culture.”
The statement noted that the conference, which has as its theme: “Youth and the Challenges of Rape” was aimed at effectively engaging young men as ambassadors and watchdogs, to stop violence against young women in the country.
It added that the conference would bring together researchers, policy makers, practitioners in related fields, health and social workers and students from tertiary institutions to share knowledge and practises and debate issues on rape.
“The conference seeks to contribute to changing the mind set, attitude and behaviours that perpetrate violence against young girls and women in the country.
“It is also important among young men, who, with the huge peer-group influence, could help to spread the word and help to change the mind-sets of rapist in the society.
“And after the conference, it is hoped that civil society organisations will be motivated and encouraged to continue to speak against gender-based violence.” The statement added that government and NGOs would provide more resources that would help “to protect the defenceless young Nigerians from the mental and physical damage of rape.”
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Source: — Cyriacus Izuekwe, PMNews
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