An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded a 37-year-old father, Okoro Odia, in prison custody for putting grinded pepper on his 10-year-old daughter’s private part.
Okoro is standing trial on a three-count of indecent treatment, attempt to commit murder and assault.
Prosecutor Ihiehie Lucky told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences sometime in June and August.
Ihiehie said that Okoro, a furniture maker, unlawfully and indecently dealt with his daughter.
He said the step-mother, Abayomi Maria, reported that the accused always beat up the girl.
The prosecutor said the complainant told the police that Okoro had sometime in June used a dog chain to tie the girl to a ceiling fan and left her there.
Ihiehie told the court that the accused tied the daughter to the ceiling because she failed to submit his lotto number to the agent.
He told the court that the indecent assault on the girl was reported by the step-mother to the Ketu Police Station.
Maria, the prosecutor, told the police that on Aug. 8 at about 8:00 p.m. Okoro called his daughter to bring her report sheet.
“When he saw that she failed, he indecently punished her. He told her to lie down and he put the dry pepper inside her private part, in her eyes and all over her body.
“Her screams alerted the step-mother who tried to stop him but he beat her up,’’ Ihiehie said.
Ihiehie said the offences contravened sections 135, 228(1) and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, denied the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs Temitope Oladele, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Oladele said that the sureties must deposit N100,000 each into the Chief Registrars account and show evidence of gainful employment in a reputable organisation.
She also said that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment and their addresses verified by the court, and adjourned the case till October 13 for mention.
