An Osogbo Magistrate Court has remanded a teacher at L. A. Secondary School, Ipetumodu, Ife North Local Council of Osun State, Mr. Lawal Afolabi in prison custody for allegedly raping an underage student of the school. Chief Magistrate A. A. Adebayo remanded him in Ilesa Correctional Centre after he was arraigned on a count rape, despite his not guilty plea. The charge read in full, “That you Lawal Afolabi Morufu, on November 13, 2021, during the school hours at L.A. Secondary School laboratory, Ipetumodu, in Ife Magisterial District did have carnal knowledge of one girl (name withheld), knowing full well that she is a child of tender age and thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol II Laws of Osun State, 2003.” Upon his plea, his counsel, J. O. Oladayo urged the court to grant the defendant bail in liberal terms and assured that reliable people would be provided to stand for his bail if granted. However, the police prosecutor, Inspector Adepoju Kayode, objected the bail application on the ground that cases of rape were rampant in the state.

Also, a counsel from the Osun State Ministry of Justice, Samson Okpara, appeared before the court and applied that the court allow the state government to take over the matter. Chief Magistrate A. A. Adebayo ruled that the case file be handed over to the ministry of justice and remanded Afolabi in Ilesa Correctional Centre. The Magistrate also ordered that the matter be transferred to Ipetumodu Magistrate Court and should be mentioned on January 12, 2022. That the victim, aged 13, was one of the Junior students assigned to sweep the school laboratory. According to the victim’s father, some of the school prefects had assigned her and other students to sweep the laboratory and she was the last person to leave the place. “The teacher (Afolabi) was already there and he raped her there. He threatened her not to tell anyone, but she eventually summoned courage to expose him,” the father alleged. The victim’s parents later reported the matter to the school management before Afolabi was confronted. The matter was also reported to the Police, which led to the suspect’s arrest. Upon completion of investigation, Afolabi was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Osogbo for rape.