Tinubu Magistrate’s Court.
Twenty-five-year-old Monday Maule has been accused of raping one Mrs. Chinyere Samuel, his neighbour’s wife, who is eight months pregnant and has four children.
Maule was said to have committed the act on Monday, February 23, 2015.
It was gathered that Mr. Samuel, Chinyere’s husband, was not always at home due to the nature of his job. Samuel, a Ghanaian by nationality works with a Chinese construction company and hardly returns home to his family.
Our correspondent learnt that Maule allegedly committed the act by sneaking into the couple’s apartment during the early hours of the day (5am) at Friends Colony Agungi, Lekki, Lagos.
It was learnt that Chinyere and her children were fast asleep and Maule seized the opportunity to overpower her.
Chinyere was said to have woken up to find Maule on her. She quickly raised the alarm and attracted other neighbours. The incident was said to have caused her emotional and physical damage.
Maule was on Wednesday arraigned before Mrs. O. M. Sanyo of the Lagos Magistrates’ Court, Tinubu, Lagos Island on one count of rape. The charge read, “That you, Monday Maule, on February 23, 2015, at Friends Colony, Agungi, Lekki, Lagos did unlawfully and forcefully have carnal knowledge of one Chinyere Samuel without her consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.”
Maule pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of N250, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate said the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendant.
The matter was adjourned till Monday March 23, 2015, pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
BY EMEKA OBI
