Court remands cleric for allegedly ‘defiling minor inside a mosque’

An Islamic cleric, Abdulsalam Salaudeen, was yesterday remanded by an Ikeja sexual offences and domestic violence court for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl in a mosque. Abiola Soladoye, the judge, who obliged the prosecutor’s request for the remand, adjourned the case till October 14 for trial.

Salaudeen, 43, is being tried for allegedly defiling the child, who was under his tutelage. M.T. Olanrewaju-Dawodu, the prosecutor, told the court that Salaudeen allegedly committed the offence on December 22, 2018, within the premises of Olorunbabe mosque at 15, Palace road, Igando, Lagos.

Olanrewaju-Dawodu said Salaudeen, popularly called ‘Alfa’, was caught defiling the child via the footage of a hidden camera, which was installed within the premises of the mosque by suspicious individuals.

The defendant, residing at 16, Awoyemi St., Ikotun, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecutor said the offence contravened section 137 of the criminal law of Lagos, 2015.

Meanwhile, Justice Soladoye has issued a stern warning to three alleged cultists on trial for allegedly abducting and gang-raping two female 15-year old secondary school students. The judge warned Kayode Damilare, Laguda Kamal and Quadri Ajala, alleged members of Eiye Confraternity cult to stop issuing threats to the complainants and their families.

Justice Soladoye issued the warning after Mr. Akin George, the Deputy-Director in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sought for the protection of the court on behalf of the complainants. “I seek the protection of the witnesses from the defendants and their gang. They have been issuing threats to the complainants and their family. One of them had to move out of Lagos to stay in Ibadan because of safety reasons,” George said.

Following George’s request, Justice Soladoye warned the defendants “if any harm comes to the complainants or their family, this court will hold you solely responsible. Inform other members of your gang out there to stop threatening the witnesses or else you will all bear the consequences”.

The judge also instructed the complainants and members of their families to go to the nearest police station to file a formal complaint. Damilare, Kamal and Ajala face a three-count charge of abduction, defilement and belonging to an unlawful society.

They are accused by the prosecution of gang-raping the first complainant sometime in February 2017 at Agarawu area of Lagos Island.