Lagos govt re-arraigns suspected child kidnapper six years after

The defendant, whose plea was not taken, was said to have unlawfully abducted the child from the custody of her parents.

News Agency of Nigeria • July 12, 2021

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The Lagos State government on Monday re-arraigned Victor Udoh, who allegedly kidnapped a child in 2015, at the Igbosere High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).

The defendant is facing trial on a count charge of abduction, preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.

The Lagos State Prosecutor, Bukola Okeowo, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on September 18, 2015, at 9:00 p.m. at the Marwa area of Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

Mrs Okeowo informed the court that Mr Udoh unlawfully abducted the child from the custody of her parents.

She said the offence contravened Section 269, of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

However, the plea of the defendant was not taken.

The defendant, who has been in incarceration at the custodial centre, informed the court that he had no lawyer to represent him and had not been to court since 2019, although, he said, a lawyer had previously represented him when the case was heard at the court which was gutted by fire.

The trial judge, Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay, directed that I.O. Bashua, a lawyer in the Office of the Public Defender, should represent the defendant.

The judge adjourned the case until November 4 for trial.

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