Nnenna Okoro, a 25-year old woman has been arrested by the police after she allegedly lured a 14-year old girl, identified by name as Faith (pseudonym) to a guest house where a man sexual assaulted her.
Okoro is a resident of Sumoratu Estate, off Ojo Road, Lagos State where the 14-year old also lived, was said to also be a confidant to Faith.
According to PUNCH metro it was gathered that on the noon of Saturday, May 16, 2015 when the girl’s aunt, who plays the role of a guardian to her, was out of home, Okoro approached her and demanded that she escorts her to the Barracks area to purchase some mangoes.
It was further gathered that Okor rejected the mangoes being sold in the the area and went to Wowo, a street close to where the hotel was located.
The accused, Okoro collected an undisclosed amount from the rapist who is at large, lured Faith into a room in the hotel and closed the door.
Faith disclosed that she could not talk, as her mouth was covered while Nnenna aided the man to rape her.
“Aunty Nnenna (Okoro) said i should follow her to buy mangoes in Barracks. She did not like the mangoes in Barracks Lane.
“She did not like the mangoes they had there and she we should go to Ojo Road.
“We went to a hotel and met a man, who she called her friend.
“Aunty Nnenna told me to enter a room.
“Suddenly, both of them dragged me to the bed.
“Nnenna held my hand and covered my mouth with a cloth.
“The man pulled off my trousers and raped me.
“He left the hotel immediately he finished doing it and said he had paid Aunty Nnenna,” said Faith.
“I went outside crying.
“It was one woman around the area that helped to clean the blood coming out from my private parts when she saw me.
“She later took me to the Layeni Police Station.”
In her statement to the police, Okoro, who hails from Abia State, admitted to taking the girl to the hotel.
“She denied coercing the victim into the act and claimed that she had never met the man prior to the incident.
She said, “Faith is my friend.
“On the fateful day, we both went to buy mangoes on Ojo Road. On getting to a hotel at Tolu, one man called her.
“They both discussed and the man paid N500 to the hotel attendant and they entered the room.
“I later left them inside the room to ease myself. It was when I came back that she told me that she was raped.
“I did not know that she was a virgin. We have never discussed anything like that before.
“Her pants were stained with blood. I have never seen the man before that day, but I can recognise him if I see him again.”
It was learnt by newsmen, that Okoro had been arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on two counts bordering on the crime, while the police assured that the suspect is being hunted.
The charges read, “That you, Nnena Okoro, and one other male, now at large, on May 16, 2015, at about 3.20pm, at Graziela Hotel on Wowo Street, Tolu, Ajegunle, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; defilement, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
“That you, Nnena Okoro, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did hold the hands of 14-year-old Faith to the bed and allowed one other man at large to have unlawful carnal knowledge of her, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
The accused however has pleaded she is not guilty as charged.
A police prosecutor, ASP Olusoji Ojaokomo, said a medical test conducted on the girl revealed that her hymen had been ruptured.
The defendant’s counsel pleaded with the court to grant bail to his client.
The presiding magistrate, Mr. P.A. Adekomaya, admitted her to bail in the sum of N100,000. He adjourned the case till June 22, 2015
