Father, stepfather remanded in Ondo for allegedly raping 10-year-old girl

An Ondo State Magistrate Court sitting in Akure has ordered the remand of two men, Adebowale Adegboye and Idowu Akinseye, in prison custody for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl (name withheld).

The duo were alleged to have had carnal knowledge of the victim at different times in Akure, the state capital before they were arrested by the men of the state police command.

Adeboye is the father of the victim, and Akinseye is her stepfather.

A medical doctor, Israel Ojo, who allegedly aborted a pregnancy for the minor, was also arrested and charged in court alongside the other two defendants.

Both Adeboye and Akinseye were charged and arraigned before the court on a five-count charge bordering on incest, abortion and indecent assault. The medical doctor was charged with abortion.

The charge sheet seen  Online on Sunday read, “That you, Adebowale Adegboye ‘m’, on December 15, 2024, at about 12:00 noon in Akure, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did commit incest by unlawfully having carnal knowledge of your biological daughter (name withheld), and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25 (a) of the Ondo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021.

That you, Adebowale Adegboye ‘m’ on December 15, 2024, on the same day, time and place in Akure, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did have unlawful carnal knowledge of your daughter and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

That you Adegboye Adebowale, Ayoola Ogunkolade and Israel Oluwafemi Ojo, on January 20, 2025, at about noon in Akure within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court did conspire to commit felony to wit: procurement of abortion and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you, Idowu Akinseye ‘m’, sometime in the year 2019 at several times at Alade Idanre Magisterial District did unlawfully and indecently deal with your stepdaughter, aged 10 years, as at the time the offence was committed by caressing her body and inserting your left finger in her vagina without her consent, after which you unlawfully had carnal knowledge of her and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 222 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

The fifth count against the father and the doctor who procured the abortion read, ” That you, Adebowale Adegboye and Israel Oluwafemi Ojo, on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned Magisterial district, did unlawfully procure abortion for the victim and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 230 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.”

In her ruling, the magistrate, Mrs Grace Alphonso, ordered that the defendants should be remanded in a correctional centre facility pending legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution.

She adjourned the case to May 22, 2025, for a hearing.