A driver, Monday Udoh, was on Friday brought before the Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly impregnating his 14-year-old step daughter. The Prosecutor, Insp. Nurudeen Thomas, told the court that Udoh, 39, committed the offence in April at Eleko Beach in Ibeju Lekki, near Lagos. Thomas said that the accused had been having unlawful carnal knowledge of the step-daughter and eventually impregnated her.

He said that Udoh, who had fathered two children from the girl’s mother, started his sexual escapade with the minor since 2014 when the girl’s mother travelled to the village. “My lord, Udoh started his sexual harassment when the little girl was 12 years old, when her mother left her in his custody and traveled to the village He eventually took her virginity in April and impregnated her. The girl is now more than 20 weeks pregnant.

“He threatened to strike the girl with spirit of madness if she mentioned it to anyone. But on realising that she was pregnant, she ran away from home and told one of her mother’s friends, who took up the case and reported to the appropriate authorities.” Thomas said that the offence contravened Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Section 260 stipulates 14 years imprisonment for anyone found guilty.

Udoh, however, denied the offence. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kikelomo Ayeye, slammed a bail of one million naira on Udoh. She also ordered that Udoh should produce two sureties in like sum and that the sureties must be civil servants not below grade level 15. She adjourned the case until Sept.13 for hearing.

NAN