An Ikeja Lagos State Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 8, remanded a 56-year-old trader, Matthew Njoku, over his alleged rape of his co-tenants two daughters, aged 11 and 13.

The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, who did not take the plea of the defendant, ordered that he should be kept at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending the advice of the State Director of Public Prosecutions.

Osunsanmi adjourned the case until February 2 for mention.

Njoku, who lives at Ketu, Lagos, committed the offence in December 2019 at his residence.

The Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the trader had sexual intercourse with the underage girls in his room.

“The parents of the girls got a tip-off from a neighbour that the defendant always had carnal knowledge of their daughters in their absence.

“The parents questioned their daughters and they told them how the man always called them into his room and had sex with them after which he would give them money and ask them to tell no one,” he said.

Ayorinde said that the parents of the girls reported the case to the police, resulting in the arrest of the defendant.