The police in Lagos have arrested an 18-year-old barber, Bakare Ismail, for allegedly defiling his neighbour, a 14-year-old girl.

Ismail had reportedly lured the girl, Bidemi (pseudonym), to his parents’ residence on Banjo Street, Owutu in the Ikorodu area of the state on Saturday, October 13, around 4pm.

While the victim was seated, Ismail allegedly offered her a soft drink laced with a sedative. She was said to have slept off minutes after taking the drink.

Saturday PUNCH leant that the suspect had sex with Bidemi, who reportedly woke up to find bloodstains on her pants.

The incident was reported at the Gender Section of the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja.

The victim told the police that she was running an errand for her aunt when Ismail, who lives in the next compound, approached her and demanded to have a talk with her.

She said she went back to him after delivering the message her aunt sent her.

“While I was in his apartment, he offered me a soft drink which I drank. As we were talking, I did not know when I slept off. When I woke up, I saw bloodstains on my clothes. I rushed home to change my clothes.

“I was crying because I knew my aunt would punish me if she knew I had been raped.”

However, the suspect denied committing the crime, adding that he did not give Bidemi any drink that day.

“I was not at home throughout that day. My dad was not around either.He locked up the house before he left. So, I did not have sex with her. She was lying,” he added.

Our correspondent learnt that the victim was taken to Mirabel Centre in Ikeja, where a test conducted on her reportedly revealed that there was a laceration in her private parts.

Ismail was consequently brought before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court by a police prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuehi, on one count of defilement.

The charge read, “That you, Bakare Ismail, on October 13, 2018, at 1600hrs, on Banjo Street, Owutu, Ikorodu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully defile a 14-year-old girl, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. Sule-Hamzat, did not take the plea of the defendant.

She held that he be remanded in prison custody and the case file forwarded to the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

The case was adjourned till December 20, 2018.