A Yaba Magistrate’s Court has taken into custody a Lagos driver, Godwin Waheed, for allegedly kidnapping, detaining, and sexually assaulting a girl at the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.
The police brought the defendant on Thursday before Magistrate Patrick Nwaka on two counts bordering on unlawful confinement, detention and defilement of his supposed passenger.
The 44-year-old was alleged to have conveyed the victim as a passenger in his Toyota Sienna, after which he kidnapped, detained and defiled her.
According to the police, Waheed used a dagger to threaten her to undress inside his car, and after that had sexual intercourse with her.
Luck was said to have run out on him when the fuel in his vehicle finished and he couldn’t run away from the scene.
The victim then raised the alarm and he was captured.
The police prosecutor, Thomas Nurideen, said Waheed committed the offence on October 15, 2023, from 8 pm to 10 pm on the Third Mainland Bridge.
According to Nurudeen, the offences contravene Sections 272 and 26 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charges read, “That you, Godwin Waheed, on October 15, 2023, between 8 pm and 10 pm at Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully confine, detain one girl (name withheld), a passenger in your Toyota Sienna with registration No. ABJ 72 XB, absconded with her against her will to another destination and fingering her private parts with one hand after threatening her to undress with a dagger, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 272 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“That you, Godwin Waheed, on October 15, 2023, between 8 pm and 10 pm at Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did use your fingers to touch the private vagina of a girl (name withheld) having removed a dagger to threaten the victim before fuel exhausted in the vehicle on top of the bridge, and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 26 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The defendant’s plea was however not taken.
The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant at the correctional centre pending legal advice from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Granting the prayer of the prosecutor, Nwaka ordered that Waheed be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending legal advice from the DPP.
Nwaka also adjourned the case till January 15, 2024, for the DPP’s advice.
