AGENCY REPORT……
The pupil, Child X allegedly defiled by Adegboyega Adenekan, a 47-year-old Chrisland School supervisor, on Thursday, testified at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence court in Lagos and confirmed that she was abused.
Child X, who is now four-years-old, was two years and 11-months at the time the alleged defilement occurred serially in 2016 at the Victoria Garden City (VGC) branch of the school.
The trial which was slated to begin at 2 pm, due to other matters, did not start until 3.26pm. It ended at 5.53pm.
Before Child X’s testimony, Justice Sybil Nwaka, had ordered that members of the public vacate the public gallery of the courtroom. However, she allowed journalists and lawyers to witness the testimony.
When Child X was brought into the courtroom, the judge rose from her bench to sit by a desk opposite Child X.
Justice Nwaka engaging Child X in small talk said: “I love your shoes, we are all your uncle and aunties here. Do you like the building? Do you know why you are here?”
Child X said: “I’m here to talk about the bad things Mr. Adenekan did to me.”
Justice Nwaka responding said: “You know you are here to tell the truth, Jesus loves children and what do your Sunday School teachers tell you?”
Child X: “Always tell the truth.”
Before Child X took oath as a witness, Justice Nwaka repeated to her not to be afraid to tell the truth and that the people in the courtroom are all her friends.
The judge warned journalists against taking photographs, making recordings or revealing the identity of Child X.
The prosecution led by Jide Boye, the Chief State Counsel led the child in evidence by asking a series of questions and getting the following responses from her.
Prosecution: “How old are you?”
Child X: “Four”
Prosecution: “How many schools have you attended?”
Child X: “Two”
Prosecution:” What are the names of the schools?”
Child X: “Chrisland, Grange School”
Prosecution pointing across the room to Adenekan: “Do you know him?”
Child X: “No”
Prosecution: “Who is Mr. Adenekan?”
Child X: “When I go to class after recess, I see Mr. Adenekan after recess”
Prosecution: “What did Mr. Adenekan do to you?”
Child X: “He put his mouth in my wee-wee, the first time he did that, he took me out of the class. The second time, I ran. I tried to report to my teacher but my teacher did not believe me, so I reported to my mummy.
“First time he did it was inside his office which was the toilet, the second time he did it was in the hall which was outside.
“I did not like what he did, he put his hand in my wee-wee, he put his wee-wee in my wee-wee and he put his mouth in my wee-wee.”
The prosecution at this point proceeded to show Child X three photographs, one of which was Adenekan’s.
Child X identified Adenekan’s photograph.
Child X said: “This is Mr. Adenekan, I remember how he used to greet me but I don’t know where he is.”
Prosecution: “How did you feel when he was doing it to you?”
Child X: “I felt I should tell my mummy, I felt pain.”
Prosecution: “When he did it, what were you wearing?”
Child X: “No”
Prosecution: “Who is Mr. Adenekan?”
Child X: “When I go to class after recess, I see Mr. Adenekan after recess”
Prosecution: “What did Mr. Adenekan do to you?”
Child X: “He put his mouth in my wee-wee, the first time he did that, he took me out of the class. The second time, I ran. I tried to report to my teacher but my teacher did not believe me, so I reported to my mummy.
“First time he did it was inside his office which was the toilet, the second time he did it was in the hall which was outside.
“I did not like what he did, he put his hand in my wee-wee, he put his wee-wee in my wee-wee and he put his mouth in my wee-wee.”
The prosecution at this point proceeded to show Child X three photographs, one of which was Adenekan’s.
Child X identified Adenekan’s photograph.
Child X said: “This is Mr. Adenekan, I remember how he used to greet me but I don’t know where he is.”
Prosecution: “How did you feel when he was doing it to you?”
Child X: “I felt I should tell my mummy, I felt pain.”
Prosecution: “When he did it, what were you wearing?”
NAN
