A social worker, Mrs Rasheedat Sanusi, on Monday told an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court how one Ismail Abdulmadiu allegedly defiled a minor in his care on her first day of menstruation.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Sanusi testified at the continuation of Abdulmadiu’s trial on a count charge of defilement.
Led in evidence by the state counsel, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke, Sanusi said that she had served Lagos State Government for 20 years as a social worker.
According to her, she is currently serving at the state’s Education District One, Agege.
The social worker said that the minor, aged 13, confided in her school teacher that she was sexually abused by Abdulmadiu, who she lived with at Baruwa, Lagos.
Sanusi said that the teacher reported the case to one Ms Precious Eberechuckwu, a human rights activist, working for Ireti Resources Centre at Alimosho, Lagos State.
”On Feb. 15, 2021, Eberechuckwu came to our office to report the case of sexual abuse of the survivor. I visited the school the same day and interviewed the survivor privately in one of the offices in the school.
“She revealed to me that the defendant had been sexually abusing her since July 20, 2019. She said that particular day was the day she started her menstrual flow and he threatened to beat her if she would tell anyone after he defiled her,” she said.
The witness testified that the survivor told her that the defendant came to the room she shared with the defendant’s children at midnight.
The social worker told the court that the defendant had defiled the survivor on different occasions after giving her different substances to drink.
“The survivor told me that the defendant, on different occasions, added a substance into ice cream and gave her before she got to bed at night.
“She said she usually felt sleepy after taking the ice cream, and there was an occasion at which she saw the clothe she wore to sleep on the floor when she woke up.
“She said that on another occasion, the defendant added a substance called ‘gold fly’ in her pap. I discovered that the substance is a libido booster when I checked online.
“She also said the defendant once gave her a pink drug to take and she brought the drug to the school and showed her class teacher, who informed the human right activist about the ongoing incident,” the witness said.
Sanusi said that she reported the case at the Alagolo Police Station, Lagos State, and the defendant was subsequently arrested.
She said that the defendant told the police that the only occasion he tried to have sex with the minor was when he entered her room and was caught by his wife.
Defence counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), during cross-examination of the witness, however, told the court that her evidence was hearsay.
He added that the witness did not include all she told the court in her statement to the police.
“In your statement to the police, all you have said before the court is not in your statement,” he said.
The witness replied that everything she told the court was written in her police statement except the issue of drugs, which she could not include due to time constraints.
Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case until May 16 for the continuation of trial.
NAN reports that Abdulmadiu is charged with defilement, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
According to the prosecution, the defendant defiled a 13-year-old, who lived with him at his residence on Peace Estate, Ipaja, Lagos State.
NAN
