Lawyer Allegedly Fondles 9-year-old In Court

A Lagos-based lawyer (name withheld) was yesterday caught fondling a nine-year-old girl’s breasts and private part on the premises of Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

Vanguard reports that the victim, who just arrived in Nigeria from England, accompanied her grandmother, who had a civil case in court and needed a lawyer. A court clerk was said to have directed the girl’s grandmother to the said lawyer. The lawyer allegedly enticed the little girl to a deserted area around the court premises and fondled her.

However, the cries of the little girl alerted the grandmother, who on seeing her, asked her what had happened. The little girl pointed at the lawyer, saying he fondled her breast and also touched her private part. Eye witnesses in the court premises said that the lawyer was seen walking around the court premises with the little girl and when he was asked who the girl was to him, he said she was his daughter.

He was also alleged to have sat the girl on his lap and gave his mobile phone to her to play with, while he was busy touching the girl’s sensitive parts. Another eyewitnesses said it was when the girl started crying and went to report to her grandmother, who started slapping the lawyer that they learned what had happened.

The noise, which disrupted the court proceedings, brought the matter to Chief Magistrate K. B. Ayeye’s attention.
The little girl was said to have told the Chief Magistrate what the lawyer did to her. The magistrate ordered that the lawyer be taken to Lion Building Police Station, Lagos Island, and when Vanguard visited the station, a police source said that the assistant commissioner of police had taken over the matter and also confirmed the presence of the lawyer at the command.

Just recently, a 28-year-old man, Azeez Abdullahi, was remanded in prison by a chief magistrates’ court for allegedly raping his 12-year-old sister-in-law.