Islamic Cleric Who Defiled Five-Year-Old To Remain In Prison

An Ikeja Magistrate Court has ordered the remandment of Abdulsalam Salaudeen, a 43-year-old Islamic cleric who allegedly defiled a five-year-old female pupil placed under his care.

Salaudeen was arraigned on Wednesday after a defilement suit was filed against him by the Nigeria Police Force (NFP). The defendant denied committing the offence.

Mrs. Olufunke Sule-Amzat, the Chief Magistrate, said the defendant should be held at the Kirikiri Prison, pending advice from the state Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She adjourned the case till Feburary 7 for hearing.

The defendant, who lives at 16, Awoyemi Street, Igando Road, Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, was docked for defilement. Inspector Benson Emuerhi, the Police prosecutor, told the court that the offence was committed on December 22 at Olorungbebe Mosque located at Iyana Ile-Oba, in Igando area of Lagos.

Emuerhi said the suspect is a popular Islamic cleric within his locality. He further informed the court that the incident was reported by a neighbour at the Ikeja Police Command.

The accused was arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command. In a video presented to the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, the cleric was caught defiling the girl who was supposed to be learning Islamic studies.

CSP Chike Oti, the Police Public Relations Officer, said a neighbour of the accused had tendered the evidence to the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command.

The offence, Emuerhi argued, contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The section prescribes life sentence for offenders.