Choirmaster arraigned for ‘raping’ female chorister

Adewale Babalola, a choirmaster at Christ Our Light Glory Church, Sanya in Surulere Lagos, was arraigned before a Yaba chief magistrates’ court in Lagos on Thursday for allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of a 16-year-old chorister in his church.

According to Godwin Anyanwu, the prosecutor, the accused committed the offence on December 2, 2014 at 11, Maxwell Ijeh street, Aguda, still in Surulere.

Anyanwu said the accused took undue advantage of his relationship with the teenager to commit the crime.

“The girl told her father, who is also an evangelist in the church that the accused lured her into his room and forcefully had a carnal knowledge of her,” he said.

“The father reported the matter to the general overseer of the church, but no action was taken, which compelled him to report the matter at the police station.”

Anyanwu noted that the offence violated section 137 of the criminal laws of Lagos state, 2011.

However, Babalola pleaded not guilty to the charge.

A.O. Soladoye, the chief magistrate, directed that the case file should be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice.

The magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to June 29 for DPP’s advice.

Section 137 of the constitution prescribes life imprisonment for child rape.