A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Wednesday remanded a 45-year-old woman, Rayinat Bakare, in a correctional centre for allegedly stealing a nine-year-old girl.

Ms Bakare, whose address was not provided, is charged with felony to wit child stealing.

The chief magistrate, A. B. Olagbegi-Adelabu, who did not take the plea of Ms Bakare, adjourned the case until May 16 for legal advice from the office of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Earlier, the Lagos prosecuting counsel, Olawunmi Osibanjo, told the court that Ms Bakare committed the offence on March 14.

Mr Osibanjo said that Ms Bakare committed the offence at about 5:30 p.m. at Allynson St. area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

The prosecutor said the defendant held the hand of the nine-year-old girl while walking on the road and the girl was crying unabated.

“People who saw her crying then asked her if the woman was her mother and she said no, which caught the attention of the crowd, which started questioning the defendant. The mother of the girl eventually appeared and told the crowd that she had never come across the defendant in her life,” the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 277 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

According to her, the defendant is liable to 14 years in prison if found guilty of the offence. 

(NAN)