A Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has freed a 16-year-old girl, Timilehin Taiwo, who was charged to court for the murder of a 51-year-old man Babatunde Ishola who allegedly tried to rape her.
Timilehin in her statement to the police, said that the deceased who is her father’s friend, invited her to his house to assist him in fetching water as he lived alone and that she had always been helping him with house chores. She stated that on the day of the incident, while she was helping the deceased, he attempted to rape her. She said in an attempt to defend herself, she picked up a knife and stabbed him, leading to his death.
The police later charged Timilehin to court for murder.
At the hearing of the case today, Magistrate Philip Adebowale Ojo struck out the murder charge filed by the police against Timilehin following advice from the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The Director, Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Dr. Babajide Martins, whose office defended the teenager bro bono, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision.
