Tailor, 43, in Court for Raping Teenage Food-Vendor

A 43-year-old tailor, Shakiru Fasasi, who allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl, names withheld, was on Thursday arraigned in Lagos. Fasasi, who resides at No. 24, Akindiya St., Sango-Agege in Lagos state, is standing trial on a two-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse and destroying evidences at a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court.The Prosecutor, ASP Godwin Anyanwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 19 at the accused’s residence. Anyanwu said that the victim, a food vendor, was always a regular face at the accused person’s compound. He said the victim had, on the fateful day, gone to sell food and “the accused asked the victim to come and collect her plate in his apartment.“The accused, thereafter, locked the door and threatened the victim to cooperate; ordered her to remove her cloth and had sexual intercourse with her, causing her severe pain and injuries,’’ he said. The prosecutor said that the accused destroyed the victim’s brassiere and pant to clear any evidence against him.According to him, Fasasi also caused damage to the victim’s private part causing her to bleed profusely. He said that the offences contravened Sections 91 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 91(1) prescribes seven years’ imprisonment for the offender. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O Soladoye, ordered that the case file be duplicated and forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice. Soladoye granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200, 000, with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case to June 15.