A Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, has remanded a 22-year-old sales representative, David Okon, over the alleged rape of a mentally-challenged woman, Folake, in the Lekki area of the state.

Our correspondent gathered that Folake, who was reported to be a virgin at the time of the incident, came from Abeokuta, Ogun State, to visit her aunt in Lagos because of her illness.

She, however, started following the woman to her workplace.

Okon, who was a co-worker of the aunt, was said to have started making amorous advances at her from the day she started visiting the shop, but she turned him down.

He was alleged to have raped her as the victim bled from her private parts.

Folake was said to have reported to her aunt and was taken to a hospital for treatment, while Okon was arrested and held in custody.

The police prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, on Monday, told the court that Okon committed the crime around 6pm on November 23, 2022, on Tunde Joda Street, Ikate, in the Lekki area of the state.

Nurudeen added that the offence was punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The charge read, “ That you, David Okon, on November 23, 2022, around 6pm on Tunde Joda Street, off White Sand, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did have unlawful sexual intercourse with one Folake without her consent, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

The defence counsel pleaded with the court to grant the defendant bail, saying he had been in custody for two months.

The Magistrate, P.E. Nwaka, turned down the application and remanded Okon in a custodial centre for a period of 30 days.

Nwaka adjourned the case till February 22, 2023.