The accused, who resides at 14, Eketunde Street, in Anibaba Area of Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old girl.

Umaru has, however, denied the charge.

The Prosecutor, Mr Iyabode Johnson, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on September 15, in an empty room at the above-mentioned address.

Johnson said, “The victim usually visits her great-grandmother at every Eid-el-kabir (Ileya festival).

“At every Ileya festival that the girl came visiting, the accused usually raped her and would threaten her not to report the case to anyone if she did not want to die.

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“But during this year’s festival held in September, the girl could not bear it anymore and summoned the courage to report the matter to her great-grandmother who is the accused person’s landlady.”

Johnson said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 137 states that any person who has sexual intercourse with a child is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A.A. Oshiniyi, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties that must be house owners in Ikorodu Magisterial District.

Such sureties, she added, must also be working in an established firm.

Oshiniyi adjourned the case till December 3 for mention.

-Punch