Police in Lagos state have arrested a man simply identified as Benjamin for allegedly sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl kept in the care of his wife who operates a daycare centre in the Ikorodu area of the state.
According to ThePunch, the little girl had always complained to her mother that a certain ‘daddy’ was fond of touching her buttock and chest but could not mention the person’s name.
The mother became more curious when she noticed that her daughter was comfortable with boys sleeping on her during playtime.
A picture purportedly exposed the alleged suspect recently when the girl was said to have recognized Benjamin and him as the ‘daddy’ who had been molesting her.
The mother, who gave her name only as Funmi, told newsmen that she lodged a complaint at Owutu Police Division and Benjamin and his wife named Florence, were arrested.
Funmi revealed that the suspect was dumbfounded when confronted by the girl and resorted to begging, adding that the man’s wife was later released on bail.
She stated;
My daughter had been complaining to me for some time that daddy touched her bum bum (buttock) and chest but she couldn’t mention the name of the person. I attended a wedding in Ibadan sometime in August last year and the man (Benjamin) was also there. We took a picture together. My daughter saw the picture and pointed at him that he was the one who harassed her. She also said it before the woman who was taking care of her. She will be four years old in September.
Speaking further, Funmi stated that the caregiver used to work at her daughter’s former crèche, stressing that she withdrew the girl from the facility because the new caregiver was not taking good care of her.
She added;
There was an academic programme I enrolled for in Enugu State and I needed someone I trust to take care of her. I approached the woman (Florence) and she accepted. She would be with the woman for two weeks before I returned from Enugu. She was the one taking her to school and picking her up. She later started running a daycare.
Meanwhile, an activist and member of Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, following up the case, Okla Gogo, said the group was awaiting the results of a medical test carried out on the girl.
He noted;
The suspect has been transferred to the gender unit at police headquarters in Ikeja. We want the police to carry out proper investigation into this case and ensure that justice is served.
Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, was yet to give an update about the situation as at the time of filing this report.
