A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has freed a 15-year-old girl charged with murdering a 51-year-old man Babatunde Ishola who allegedly tried to rape her.
Magistrate Philip Adebowale Ojo struck out the murder charge filed by the police against the 15-year-old girl, and a Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 pupil, following advice from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The incident occurred in his home on Nwadolu Street, Aboru, Lagos.
Ishola was said to be employed as a guard at a school in the community and lived alone.
The State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) had on March 24, 2020, in a charge marked C/51/2020, alleged that the 15-year-old girl stabbed Mr Babatunde Ishola to death on March 7 this year.
The police obtained an order for the pupil to be remanded at the Lagos State Correctional Home for Girls, Idi Arabia, while the case was adjourned for legal advice from the OPD.
The plea of the teenager, who was represented pro bono by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), was not taken.
At the resumption of proceedings, the Magistrate said the court had received the DPP’s report which noted that the “case lacked ingredients of murder”.
He said the report corroborated the facts of the matter as set out in the case file, that that there were “insufficient facts to establish a prima facie case of murder against the suspect.”
Subsequently, he discharged and acquitted the suspect.
The Director, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Dr Babajide Martins, whose office defended the teenager pro bono, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision.
Dr Martins appeal to anyone that has suffered any form of rights denial, abuse and violence to visit any of OPD office nearest to him or her for free legal service.