Defilement: CDHR petitions Lagos Attorney General

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) Lagos State
Branch has petitioned the Attorney General and Commissioner for
Justice Mr. Adeniji Kazeem to intervene in a case of sexual assault of
a minor leveled against one Mr Elijah Babaniyi, by checking the
veracity of the claims for which he is being remanded in prison.

The Cdhr having done the required investigations, felt the need for
the attorney general to wade into the matter,to avoid the likelihood
of miscarriage of justice.

According to the Cdhr Chairman,Comrade Alex Omotehinse,the human
rights protection group has discovered that the case if not
holistically reviewed, may resort in miscarriage of justice.

” We are taking this stance owing to the investigation carried out
from the school;where the accused worked for ten years and
interestingly deals with children within the age range of 18months to
11years,the account of his wife who owns the school the girl
attends,his Church where he was a Parish Pastor,his neighbourhood and
the account of the complainant,where no antecedent was established,
linking the man to such debasing act.

“While we are not holding brief for the accused, we would like to call
on the Attorney General to take a cursory look at the case in question
and substantiate claim by thorough review or disclaim it through the
same avenue.

” We want to believe justice will be well served if all avenues are
explored to verify if the accused, Babaniyi really perpetrated the act
of sexual assault by penetration as claimed by the complainant.

“We hold this view that if since April 2018 the accused has been the
one dropping of pupils at their various residence and locations even
before the girl in question, Bathel Daniel was enrolled in their
school sometimes in September and no such case arose then the case
need be reviewed.

The CDHR maintained its stance,that there is a serious need to clarify
some shady aspect in the case given the premise on which it was
instituted.

“From all our findings we have come to the conclusion that the victim
Mr Elijah Babaniyi is a victim of circumstance,as a visit to the
Sunnydale School GRA Ikeja where the accused work for 10years with no
blemish and the fact that Bathel was dropped off at her mother’s shop
hale and hearty that fateful day.

” The CDHR humbly appeal to you that should use your good office to
prevail on the Directorate of Public Prosecution  to set up an
independent investigative panel that will investigate this sensitive
matter.

“For a due diligent investigation before giving advice so that an
innocent person will not suffer for an offence he didn’t commit as the
law says ‘ it is better for 99 accuse to escape than to convict only
one innocent’.”