by Adeola Balogun

A man in Lagos has been arraigned before a court in the state on suspicion of raping a 30-month-old child.

Kehinde Layode is being tried for the crime before a Magistrate court in the Ik.eja area of the state

The accused was said to have gotten access to the child after her mother left her in his care while she ran errands.

Vanguard reports:

According to Access to Justice, AJ, a non-governmental organisation, handling the matter, “on November 11, 2013, we received information that a girl (names withheld) (two and a half years old at the relevant time), was sexually molested by a man, Kehinde Layode, who had been put in a position of trust over the child.

According to the family, the mother of the girl had kept the child with the defendant and his wife to go and buy drugs for the toddler as she was running a fever.

“This was a fairly routine help that the girl’s mother often sought and the defendant and his wife offered. However, on this fateful day when the girl’s mother returned to the house, she knocked on the door but the defendant told her that she was sleeping.

“The mother, however, insisted that the door be opened so that she could administer the drug she had bought.

Subsequently, she took the toddler home but noticed that there was a thick white fluid coming down her laps at which point she raised an alarm.

“The alarm attracted neighbours, who insisted that she report the matter to the police and take her for medical examination, which she did. The case was reported to the Igando Police Station and the police have, after investigations, launched a prosecution against the defendant.

“The case is presently before Mrs A. Oshoniyi of the magistrate sitting at Family Court, Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos State.

“The charge against the defendant is that of defilement of the little child by having sexual intercourse with her on January 12, 2013.”