One Muyide Jubril, 23 years old barber and Lanre Sofela, have been arraigned before an Abeokuta Magistrate Court for allegedly raping a 17-year-old apprentice in Ogun State.
The duo were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and rape of their victim in charge No. MA/703c/2013.
However, the Counsel to the accused persons Gani Ogunsawo, appealed to the court to view the action of his client as due to temptation. Ogunsanwo argued that both the first accused and the victim have been dating before the ugly incident.
He argued that the second accused, Sofela should not have been charged to court as he was only sent on errand to call the alleged rape victim who he claimed was the future wife of the first accused.
The counsel further pleaded that the matter was almost at the stage of being resolved between the two families involved when a Non- Government Organisation, Gender Development Initiative, affiliated to the Child Protection Network in the state took the case up.
He, therefore, appealed to the magistrate to grant his clients bail since the offence they were being charged for was bailable and assured the court that the accused persons would not jump bail.
Magistrate Martins Akinyemi granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety who must be resident within the magisterial district and must also present to court a sworn affidavit.
Akinyemi also ordered the Investigating Police Officer, Opebiyi Adio to prepare the case file for advice to the Director of Public Prosecution before next date of hearing.
He adjourned further hearing to February 13, 2014.(Tribune)
