Kemisola Oye
FOR alleged indecent treatment and assault of a three-year-old pupil of Christ-Mistot School, a Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Ogba, Ikeja has ordered the remand of a 46-year-old teacher, Stella Nwadigbo.
Magistrate Olabisi Kusanu ordered the remand of Nwadigbo in Kirikiri Correctional Facility after she was arraigned by the Lagos State Police Command.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday 8 January 2025 following a viral video that sparked reactions from various quarters, wherein the defendant, Nwadigbo was seen indecently assaulting a three-year-old pupil of a primary school in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
When the case was called, the Police prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on 7 January 2025 at about 1100 hours while being a teacher at Christ Mitot School, Ikorodu – Lagos.
She was therefore arraigned on two counts charges bordering on assault and indecently dealing with a child.
Nwadigbo was accused of giving the three-year-old boy fist blows constantly on his face, which caused him injury and swollen face and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 172, 135 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
She pleaded not guilty to all the count charges.
Magistrate Kusanu therefore admitted her to bail of N200,000.00 with two sureties in like sum and ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed.
She ordered the defendant to be remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Facility pending the perfection of her bail and adjourned hearing in the case to 18 February 2025.
However, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ishola, while commending Nigerians for promptly alerting the police to the situation, assures them of the ever-readiness of the Command to respond quickly and appropriately to situations towards ensuring the safety and security of resident and visitors to the state.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relation Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, the police stated that, following receipt of the video, the Family Support Unit (FSU) of Ikorodu Police Division promptly arrested the suspect on 8 January 2025 and transferred her to the Gender Unit of the Command Headquarters same day after preliminary investigations.
The victim was taken to a medical facility for adequate medical attention.
Eighteen-Eleven Media