CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A 25-year-old man, Kelvin Isaiah Ime, was arraigned before Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Ogba for alleged sexual assault of a 23-year-old lady in the Elemoro area of Lagos State.
The defendant was brought before a Lagos Magistrate Court presided over by Mrs. M.O. Tanimola on a one-count charge bordering on sexual assault.
According to the charge sheet marked Charge No. …./2026, the incident allegedly occurred on August 16, 2026, at about 9:00am at Divine Estate Road, RT Fish Pond Farm, Akeke, Elemoro, Lagos, within the Lagos Magisterial District.
The prosecutor, ASP Lucky Ihehie, told the court that the defendant allegedly sexually assaulted the 23-year-old lady at the said address.
The offence is said to be punishable under Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charge was filed by the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, which handles cases of sexual and gender-based violence in the state. The Investigating Police Officer is Cpl. Johnson Oyinkansola, under the supervision of ACP Oluwatoyin Kazeem.
Police sources said the matter was reported at the Elemoro Division before it was transferred to the Gender Unit at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, for discreet investigation due to the nature of the offence.
When the charge was read to the defendant in court, his plea was not taken.
The prosecutor, ASP Lucky Ihehie, asked the court to remand the defendant in custody pending the outcome of legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, and to determine jurisdiction, as the Magistrate Court may not have jurisdiction to try the substantive offence.
He argued that the remand was necessary to enable the police to duplicate the case file and forward it to the DPP for advice, which is the standard procedure for offences of this nature under Lagos State criminal justice administration.
Defence counsel did not oppose the application for remand but urged the court to ensure accelerated issuance of the DPP advice.
In her ruling, Magistrate Mrs. M.O. Tanimola ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Correctional Center at Kirikiri Town pending the outcome of DPP advice.
She directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and send a copy to the DPP for legal advice within 30 days and adjourned the matter for mention pending the DPP report.
The Lagos State Police Command reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice for victims of sexual and gender-based violence and warned that the Command has zero tolerance for such offences.
The Command advised members of the public to report any case of sexual assault to the nearest police station or to the Gender Unit at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, assuring that all reports will be treated with confidentiality and professionalism.
The case has attracted public interest following increased reports of sexual assault cases in Lagos, with stakeholders calling for thorough investigation and prosecution of offenders to serve as deterrent to others.
It is important to note that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.