PUNCH
A Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the prison remand of a teacher of Maromipin Nursery and Primary School, a private school in Makoko, Lagos, for allegedly raping a 10-year-old pupil.
The 34-year-old teacher, Tunde Mudashir, was arraigned by the police on one count of sexual assault before the presiding magistrate, Mrs. A.F. Adeeyo on Monday.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Mudashir had tricked the primary 3 pupil, Sandra, to one of the deserted classrooms on a Thursday on the pretext that he wanted to give her extra coaching.
It was gathered that during the purported coaching, Mudashir told the victim to spread her legs, which she did. As Sandra tried to question Mudashir’s instruction, he reportedly resorted to force, removed her pants and raped her. He was said to have covered her mouth when she wanted to cry for help.
Our correspondent was told that Mudashiru warned her against divulging the act to a third party, threatening to kill her if she did.
A source said trouble started when Sandra groaned with pains before she could urinate and started discharging blood from her private parts.
The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the girl was rushed to a hospital where tests carried out on her allegedly revealed that she had been raped.
“At the hospital, her father pleaded with her to confide in him. She said she had been warned that she would die if she did, but the father assured her that nothing would happen to her.
“She narrated how the teacher lured her into a classroom and raped her. He went with her to the school and charged the management to also conduct a test on her to justify her claim.
“The matter was later reported at the Sabo Police Division, leading to Mudashir’s arrest,” the source said.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the crime when he was arraigned by police prosecutors – Rita Momoh and Ibijoke Akinpelu – before Chief Magistrate Adeeyo.
The charge read, “That you, Tunde Mudashiru, 34, on December 20, 2015, at about 7am at Maromipin Nursery and Primary School, Maroko, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did have sexual intercourse with a 10-year-old pupil without her consent, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”
The magistrate granted Mudashiru bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Adjourning the case till June 20, 2016, Adeeyo held that the accused should be kept in prison custody pending when he would be able to perfect his bail conditions.
