Lagos: Man, 42, “pays bride price” to “marry” primary six pupil
A 42-year-old suspect paraded by the police for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl said he intended marrying the victim and had made a partial payment of N64,000 as bride price.
NAN reports that the suspect (name withheld), who sells clothes and resides at Ilaje in Ajangbadi area of Lagos, was paraded by the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday.
The suspect said he had been dating the victim for eight months after she told him that she was 18-years-old.
He said, “She told me she was 18-years-old and we have been dating for eight months. I have fulfilled some of the traditional rites required to marry her.
“I paid N20,000 for introduction and gave her father N64,000 out of the N100,000 demanded for other traditional rites. The parents know that I have been taking care of the girl.
“I was surprised when I received a call yesterday that the police were looking for me after the girl’s school authorities said she was too young to get married.
“I have met elders in her family three times. Her mother’s clothes, which she gave me to mend, because she wants to travel are still in my shop. I just feel sad that I am being treated this way after all that I have done for the family,” he said.
A police source, however, said that the victim’s parents, who said their daughter was only a primary six pupil, denied knowing the suspect.
The source said that the victim had gone to sell plantain to the suspect when she was defiled and given N500.
The suspect could not, however, provide the address of his ‘supposed’ in-law (the victim’s parents) when asked to do so.
