The arraignment of 10 persons charged before a Lagos High Court in Lagos for allegedly tortu-ring three women at the Oba Morufu International Market in Ejigbo, a suburb of Lagos, in February 2013, was yesterday adjourned till March 20.

The defendants are Isiaka Waidi, 60; Saheed Adisa, 28; Lateef Tijani, 37; Ahmed Adisa, 65; Adekunle Adenuga, 57; Azeez Akinosun, 35; Jimoh Busari, 49; Buhari Yusuf, 21; Abdullahi Haruna, 19 and Oloruntoyin Dauda, 45.

According to the charge, the defendants unlawfully assaulted one Ajoke Agomo by stripping her naked, beating her up and rubbing pepper all over her body.

The defendants were also accused of unlawfully inserting a stick into the private parts of one Nike Salami and Juliana Omo at the said market.

, Ejigbo area of the state.

Furthermore, the defendants who are to be arraigned on a 19-count charge brought against them by Lagos State government, were said to have caused grievous harm to Agomo and Salami by beating them with cane.

The 1st and 3rd defendants (Waidi and Lateef) were accused of unlawfully obtaining N50,000 from one Fima, with intent to defraud by falsely pretending that the said money would be given to traders in the market whose pepper was stolen.

Directorate of Public Prosecution, Mrs Idowu Alakija, informed the court that the insertion of a stick into the vagina of Juliana and Nike was a sexual assault by penetration, contrary to Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

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