CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A 19-year-old teenager, Joshua Isaiah, has been brought before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl, an offence which contravenes the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.
According to the charge sheet prepared by the Gender Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, and signed by CSP Omolola Odutola, the incident allegedly occurred on the 13th day of July, 2026, at about 9:00am, at No. 88, Oyetoro Street, Meiran, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District.
The charge reads in part: “That you, Joshua Isaiah ‘m’ age 19 years, on the 13th day of July, 2026, at about 0900hours, at No. 88, Oyetoro Street, Meiran Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did have sexual intercourse with one 15-year-old female and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, deals with the offence of defilement, which prohibits sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 18 years, with or without consent. Under the law, consent given by a minor is immaterial, as a person below 18 is legally incapable of giving consent to sexual activity.
Police sources at the Gender Section disclosed that the case was reported and subsequently investigated by W/Inspector Raimi Idowu, who is listed as the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on the charge sheet. After investigation, the case file was forwarded for prosecution, leading to the arraignment of the suspect.
However, the court did not take the plea of the defendant after the prosecutor, ASP Lucky Ihehie, asked the court to refer the matter to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Tanimola, ordered that he be remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri Town pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice.
The remand in custody pending legal advice from the DPP is the usual procedure in cases of this nature due to the severity of the offence.
Cases of defilement are considered serious felonies in Lagos State and attract life imprisonment upon conviction. The Lagos State Government has in recent years intensified its campaign against sexual and gender-based violence, urging residents to report cases promptly to the police Gender Unit or the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.
As of press time, the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
The police have assured that justice will be served, while child rights advocates have called for protection of the identity and welfare of the minor involved, in line with the Child Rights Law.
The case was adjourned pending the DPP advice.