Court Remands 45-Year Old Man In Kirikiri For Kissing Lady Without Her Consent

An Ogba Magistrates Court in Lagos State has arraigned a 45-year-old man, Afeez Adewale, for sexually assaulting a lady, Jane Echenwodo.

The assault was said to have occurred at about 3a m, on May 17, 2026, in Ajelanwa, Ipaja area of the State.

According to the charge sheet marked 12026, the Commissioner of Police is prosecuting Adewale in connection with the incident.

In the first count, the Police alleged that the defendant sexually assaulted one Jane Echenwodo by kissing her without consent. The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 263 (1)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The second count alleged that the defendant sexually harassed the same complainant. The charge was brought under Section 264 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

 

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In the third count, Adewale was accused of assaulting the complainant. The prosecution alleged that the action occurred during an attempt to kiss her and led to injuries. This offence is contrary to Section 170(1) and punishable under Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The case was filed by SP Endurance Ovwigho, Divisional Police Officer, Ipaja, Lagos. The IPO listed on the charge sheet was Inspector Shittu Ayantoun of Ipaja Division.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, asked the court for a date for hearing.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Tanimola, granted him bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.

The defendant was remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri Town, Lagos, pending perfection of his bail conditions.

The Lagos State Police Command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and urged members of the public to report cases of assault to the nearest Police station.

Cases of men being arraigned in court for kissing women without their consent has become rife in recent times. It would be recalled that a Nigerian health assistant at York Hospital, in the UK, Adewale Kudabo, was recently sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting a female patient under his care.

Kudabo, 47, was convicted on two counts of sexual assault at York Crown Court, after pleading guilty to the offences.

The court heard that the victim, who was almost entirely immobile due to a serious medical condition, was assaulted twice while in her hospital bed.

Prosecutor Henry Fernandez told the court that the first incident occurred after Kudabo gave the patient a bed bath and leaned over to kiss her on the lips. Despite her attempts to turn away, she was unable to resist due to her condition.

A few days later, Kudabo returned to offer another bed bath, which the woman declined. He then kissed her again while she lay helpless, Fernandez said.

“She was in a lot of pain and almost completely dependent on others for her care,” he added.

The incidents took place nine months after Kudabo arrived in the UK from Nigeria. At the time, he was employed as a healthcare assistant at York Hospital and living in the South Bank area of the city.

In a victim impact statement read in court, the woman described ongoing trauma since the incidents. She said she had experienced “helplessness, fear and loss of trust,” along with depression, anxiety, and recurring flashbacks.

Kudabo’s defence counsel, Jerry Sodipe, said the defendant accepted that his behaviour was “inappropriate” but highlighted his previously unblemished record.

Sentencing him, Judge Alex Menary said, “You abused the trust placed in you as a carer. She was particularly vulnerable—immobile and dependent on you for her care. I am satisfied the kiss was on the lips, not the forehead. What you did has had a profound impact on the victim’s life.”

The judge added that the nature of the offence required an immediate custodial sentence “to mark the seriousness of what you did to someone in your care.”

Kudabo served half of his 12-month sentence in custody and the remainder on licence. He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

  

Categories: Crime, Metro