I raped my daughter to get a job –Father

A 42-year-old father, Pedro Anegbe, has told an
Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court that a spirit asked
him to rape his 15-year-old daughter to get a job.
He said the voice ordred him to rape the girl shortly
after he lost his job and was idle at home.
Anegbe was arraigned on two counts for defiling his
15-year-old daughter (name withheld) at their home
on Ifelodun Street, Fatolu Ipaja, Lagos State.
The Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Bakare
Murtala, told the court his findings in the course of
investigation.
Murtala said, “The defendant is the biological father
of the girl. She told us her father had sexually
harassed her. We questioned him on his daughter’s
allegation and he confessed to the crime. He said he
had raped her twice.”
The magistrate, Olanrewaju Olatunji, asked Anegbe
why he raped his own daughter.
The father of three said, “I am actually living with
my wife and three children. I have two girls and a
boy. She is my first born. I have had sex with her
just two times. The first was on January 27, 2014.
But I cannot remember the date of the second one.”
On how it all began, he said, “I did it because I
thought it was God talking to me, but later I knew it
was an evil spirit. The voice said I needed power.
To get the power, the voice said I must damage
some things.
“I started destroying the clutch and brake of the
vehicle I was given to drive. Then the voice told me
I should stop delivering money to the owner of the
vehicle after each day’s work. I stopped and I was
sacked.
“I became idle after I lost my job. The voice came
again, saying I should have sex with my daughter or
else I would not get another job. That was why I
slept with her.”
However, despite his admission, the defendant
pleaded not guilty to the charge of rape.
He also told the court that he wanted his case tried
at the High Court.
Olatunji said, “You have confessed that you raped
your daughter, why then did you still say you were
not guilty of the crime after the charge was read to
you? Don’t you understand the charge or what is
the problem?”
“I am just forcing myself to talk, because the voice
said I should not say anything,” Anegbe said.
His defence counsel, Rasaq Adeyemi, citing Section
115 of the Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011, prayed
the court to admit him to bail in liberal terms since
he was still presumed innocent until proven guilty
by the court.
In his ruling, the magistrate said, “This is a bailable
offence, but it is a family matter. The defendant is to
be remanded in prison pending legal advice from the
Directorate of Public Prosecution.”
The matter was adjourned till April 4, 2014.