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.