A 22-year-old schoolteacher on the Blessed Peace College in Egbeda, Alimosho Native Authorities Space of Lagos State, recognized solely as Prosper, has been arrested and detained by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly sodomising a 10-year-old boy on the college.
A PUNCH Metro correspondent learnt on Sunday that earlier than performing the crime, the suspect allegedly informed the pupil to behave like a lady and take off his trousers after luring him to a solitary spot within the college.
Our correspondent’s investigation additionally revealed that the suspect had enticed the survivor to the placement on October 18, 2024, by claiming he meant to take him to a spelling bee and artwork competitors the place the survivor would earn tens of millions of naira and presumably even journey overseas.
An eyewitness aware of the incident narrated, “The instructor raped the boy on the college, convincing him by saying he could be enrolled in an artwork competitors the place they’d win a considerable sum of money.
“He took the boy to a category and ordered him to behave like a lady. He then informed him to drag his trousers down and shut his eyes. He penetrated this boy and informed him he mustn’t inform anybody, assuring him that he would win the competitors.”
A supply acquainted with the suspect’s arrest revealed to our correspondent that the suspect was apprehended on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, whereas making an attempt to commit an identical act with one other pupil on the college.
“An 11-year-old boy, who’s extra outspoken, knowledgeable his mother and father that he now not wished to attend the college. When his mother and father pressed for a motive, he revealed {that a} instructor had been threatening him, warning that one thing dangerous would occur if he didn’t adjust to the instructor’s calls for.
“This led the mother and father, college administration, and different academics to query different pupils, although they initially discovered no leads. Nevertheless, a instructor recalled that the suspect usually confirmed explicit curiosity in a single boy, incessantly shopping for him presents and giving him preferential therapy.
“It was at this level that the survivor confessed that the suspect had lured him with guarantees of a spelling bee and artwork competitors, claiming he would win N2m and be taken overseas. The college was unaware of any such competitions talked about by the suspect,” the eyewitness stated.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was initially taken into custody by the police on the Idimu Division earlier than being transferred to the Police Gender Unit for subsequent prosecution.
In a phone dialog with our correspondent on Sunday, Mrs Ololade Ajayi, the founding father of DOHS Cares Basis, a non-governmental organisation targeted on combating gender-based violence and the important thing advocate behind the arrest, expressed considerations that the cops on the Gender Unit have been making an attempt to hinder the prosecution of the suspect.
She stated, “Because the case was transferred to the Gender Unit, it has not been despatched to court docket. I visited their workplace final Wednesday to inquire concerning the case. After I requested why it hadn’t been transferred, the inspector in cost defined that the unit was nonetheless conducting a preliminary investigation and that the boy’s mom had not returned.
“I knowledgeable the investigating police officer that the household was financially struggling and provided to cowl the transport prices to the crime scene at any time when they have been prepared. She assured me that she would name on Friday.
“On Friday, I known as her to examine in the event that they have been able to go so I might organize an Uber to take them to the crime scene, however she informed me she was going some place else and wouldn’t be coming. I think there could also be foul play concerned.”
Though the spokesperson for the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, didn’t reply his cellphone or reply to the textual content messages despatched by our correspondent, the top of the Idimu Police Division, Chief Superintendent of Police, Gladys Faniyi, confirmed to PUNCH Metro that the case had been referred to the Police Gender Unit. She directed our correspondent to the unit for any additional updates.
“I’ve referred the case to the Gender Division. For those who want any info, please direct your enquiries to that division,” Faniyi acknowledged.
In July, a 27-year-old instructor named Vibrant Emelogu was sentenced to life in jail by an Ikeja, Lagos, Sexual Offences and Home Violence Court docket for sodomising his 14-year-old pupil.