An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered the remand of a 30-year-old trader, Joseph Okoye, for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.

Magistrate Mrs. Ejiro Kubeinje, who did not take the defendant’s plea, ordered that he should be remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

Kubeinje, however, directed the police to send the case file to the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

She adjourned the case until March 9 for DPP’s advice.

The police charged Okoye, who resides in Alakuko, Lagos State, with defilement.

The prosecution counsel, Asp. Bisi Ogunleye told the court that the defendant committed the offense on Jan. 30 at his residence.

He said the defendant unlawfully had canal knowledge of the girl.

“The defendant called the girl into his apartment with the pretext of sending her on errands.

“He locked his door and unlawfully had sexual intercourse with her.

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“When the mother noticed that her daughter had been defiled, she questioned her and the girl told her what the defendant did to her.

“The case was reported leading to the arrest of the defendant,” the prosecutor said.

The report states that defilement attracts life imprisonment according to the provisions of Section 137.