The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rape

  • ‘How ex-UNILAG student raped undergraduate, stole her underwear’

    A prosecution witness, Insp Nkem Ejelonu, on Tuesday told the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court in Ikeja how John Otema, a former student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), allegedly raped a female undergraduate of the institution and stole her underwear.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ejelonu, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case, gave the testimony while giving evidence during the trial of Otema who is charged with three counts of rape and assault occasioning harm.

    Otema is accused of raping two students of the institution.

    Ejelonu, who is attached to the Adeniji Adele Police Station and has 20 years experience in the Nigerian Police Force, said that following the allegation of underwear theft by Student X (name withheld), she executed a search warrant to find the missing clothing.

    Led in evidence by the state prosecutor, Mrs Arinola Momoh-Ayokanbi, Ejelonu said: “Student X said the defendant left with her pant, bra and handkerchief after he raped her in his car.

    “I went to the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court to sign a search warrant on Feb. 6, 2018, we went to the defendant’s house at No. 6, Adeleye St., Bariga Lagos to execute the search warrant, the items were not found.

    “We found only kitchen knives and on Feb. 7, 2018, the case was charged to court.

    “I had earlier visited the scene of the incident which is the area of Distance Learning Institute (DLI) of UNILAG, to check if I could find the pant, bra and handkerchief but I could not find anything, hence the search of his house,” she said.

    Earlier in her evidence, Ejelonu narrated how the police was alerted about the rapes by UNILAG officials.

    “On Feb. 5, 2018, two officers from Alausa came to our office that they received a distress call from UNILAG that they needed our support.

    “The then Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ayodele Onujose, detailed myself and Sgt. Osasua, we went to UNILAG and saw the school counsellor and we went to the security cell and we saw the two girls who were about 19-years-old,” she said.

    The IPO also told the court how the first complainant, Student X was allegedly raped by the defendant.

    “On Jan. 17, 2018, the defendant offered to give her a ride in his car on campus, he took her to DLI, had sexual intercourse with her and took away her pant, bra and handkerchief,” she said.

    Ejelonu also told the court how another complainant, Student Y (name withheld), was allegedly raped by Otema.

    She said: “Student Y said sometime in 2018 she saw the defendant on campus and they went to the canteen to buy food, the defendant went to the bank and gave her back N2, 000 for the meal.

    “Then both of them became friends, she told the defendant that she already had a boyfriend but he said that they should be friends with benefits.

    “Student Y said she demanded for a laptop and the defendant gave her N20,000 and promised that he would give her N30,000 later.

    “On Jan. 30, 2018, the defendant picked her up and took her to his house and wanted to sleep with her and she demanded for N100,000. The money was not given to her.

    “He had sex with her, during that period her boyfriend called her, the defendant dropped her off on campus at 11.30pm.”

    While being cross-examined by Mr Fred Onyeka, Otema’s defence counsel, the IPO revealed that the defendant’s car was still in police custody.

    “One of the complainants said he had sex with her in the vehicle, the vehicle is with the exhibit keeper at the Adeniji Police Station,” she said.

    NAN reports that during Ejelonu’s evidence-in-chief, the IPO’s report was rejected as an exhibit by the court based on Onyeka’s objection that the prosecution did not include it in their proof of evidence.

    Following the rejection of the report by the court, Momoh-Ayokanbi, the state prosecutor had asked the court to declare the police officer a hostile witness on the ground that she was in communication with the defence.

  • Man in court for alleged rape of girl, 16

    A 35-year-old man, Opeyemi Ogunjobi,  was yesterday arraigned at an Ogudu Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.

    His plea was not taken.

    Prosecuting Inspector Lucky Ihiehie alleged that the defendant committed the offence on November 14 last year, at 11, Ladipo Street, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos.

    He alleged that Ogunjobi told the girl not to inform anyone after the incident.

    Read also: Three ‘abduct, rape teenager for four days’

    The prosecutor claimed the girl was not the first the defendant would defile in his neighbourhood.

    Magistrate E. Kubainje remanded the defendant in prison and ordered that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    She adjourned till April 30.

  • Chris Brown arrested over rape accusation in France

    R&B singer, Chris Brown, has been arrested in Paris following a rape accusation by a 24-year-old woman.

    French officials said Brown and two others were currently in custody after a woman filed a rape allegation in northwest Paris after meeting her in a nightclub, Fox 5 news reported.

    The arrests were first reported by French tabloid Closer, which said the three were arrested after the woman alleged she was raped at Brown’s hotel suite on the night of January 15.

    Police said one of the others held is Brown’s bodyguard.

    The singer was arrested on Monday and remains in custody while police probe the complaint.

    The woman is said to have followed the singer to his hotel room where the incident allegedly occurred.

    Prosecutors in the French capital confirmed that the 29-year-old faced criminal charges after the alleged sex attack a week ago.

    “He is accused of a rape and is being held at the judicial police offices in the 1st arrondissement,” said a prosecuting source.

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    “He was arrested with two others on Monday, and interviews and other enquiries are ongoing. The offence is said to have taken place on the night of January 15 this year.”

    The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she met Brown at a nightclub and then returned to his hotel with other women and a total of three men.

    “The woman said she was abused by Brown, a bodyguard, and a friend, and then she was left alone with the star,” said another source in Paris.

    “A total of three men were arrested at Brown’s hotel. They did not resist police, and now have lawyers representing them.”

    Brown’s publicists at Sony Music would not immediately comment.

  • Gunmen kill, rape, abduct woman

    Nando community in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State was thrown into mourning at the weekend, following the killing of a middle-aged man by gunmen.

    The gunmen, believed to be kidnappers, reportedly shot the deceased, Maxwell Ezeudu, while he and his mother and sister were returning from a church vigil at Igbariam.

    The Nation learnt that the deceased was going home at Aguleri in company of his mother and sister when they rammed into a roadblock mounted by the gunmen, who laid ambush for them.

    A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deceased nearly escaped from the gunmen before he was shot dead.

    He said: “On getting to Nando, a neighbouring community, they rammed into a roadblock mounted by the gunmen and their vehicle suddenly stopped after it veered off the road.”

    The resident said the gunmen allowed the aged mother to go, while they raped the deceased’s sister and kidnapped her.

    The Nation gathered that the kidnappers later demanded N350,000 ransom after establishing contact with her relations.

    Contacted, police spokesman Haruna Mohammed pleaded for time to reach the DPO for confirmation.

    “I will find out from the DPO please,” he said.

  • Christian Council of Nigeria calls for action against child trafficking, rape

    The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has called for an end to child trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation and all forms of violence against children in Nigeria.

    President of CCN, Rev. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, made the call in Calabar during a press briefing to kick off the sensitisation week on ‘Ending Violence Against Children’.

    Fubara-Manuel, whose speech was read by Rt. Rev. Tunde Adeleye, the Bishop of Calabar Anglican Communion, said that CCN was collaborating with the United Nations Children Emergency Fund to end violence against children.

    According to him, CCN had observed that violence against children was on the increase, adding that one in three children suffers from one form of violence or the other.

    The President said that the inter-tribal wars that have taken place across the country had come with resultant negative physical, sexual, emotional and psychological effects on women and children.

    He called on all religious leaders to join hands with CCN in carrying out the sensitisation through prayers and awareness programmes.

    CCN was founded in 1929 and properly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. It brings together many denominations in Nigeria, including the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Methodists Church of Nigeria, the First African Church and many others.

  • Man ‘attempts to rape homeless’

    A 40-year-old man, Peter Makinwa, was yesterday ordered remanded in Ikoyi Prison, following his arraignment for allegedly attempting to rape a homeless woman.

    The accused, a barber, appeared before a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court on a two-count charge of attempted rape and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

    Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias remanded Makinwa after he pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Hafsat Ajibode said the accused committed the offence on January 9 at about 5am at Leventis, Lagos Island.

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    She alleged that the accused, who came out of his house to urinate, saw the homeless woman sleeping on the ground near the lagoon and attempted to rape her.

    “A guard, who saw the accused trying to force himself on the woman while she was struggling with him,  rescued her and apprehended him,” Ajibode said.

    The case continues on January 21.

  • Driver remanded for alleged rape of woman, 78

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded a Danfo driver, Jelili Lawal, in Kirikiri Prisons following his arraignment for allegedly raping a 78-year-old woman.

    Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi said the accused would remain in custody, pending  advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Lawal, who lives at 16, Lagos Street, Agege, allegedly committed the offence on January 1 at Oloti village, off Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja.

    Prosecuting Inspector Raphael Donny alleged that the incident was reported to the police by a resident, who heard the victim’s cries.

    Lawal pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Osunsanmi adjourned till February 18.

    The victim was said to have missed her way around Maryland while going to her home in Ketu, Lagos.

    The driver was said to have given the septuagenarian a ride when she approached him for help.

    Instead of taking her  to Ketu, he drove to Oloti village and raped her.

    The woman’s cries were said to have attracted the resident, who tipped off the police.

    The accused was allegedly caught on top of the old woman.

  • Man, 34, remanded for defiling 7-year-old

    A 34-year-old man, Tunde Eyifunjowo, who allegedly defiled a seven-year-old girl, was on Monday remanded in Kirikiri Prisons, on the orders of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Eyifunjiwo, who resides at Ojodu, Lagos, was docked for alleged defilement.

    When the case was called up, the Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, refused to take the plea of the defendant.

    She ordered that the accused be kept behind bars pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Earlier, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the prosecutor, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence sometime in November 2018 at his residence.

    He said that the accused defiled the seven-year-old daughter of his co-tenant.

    “The accused called the girl inside his room, gave her biscuit and had sexual intercourse with her.

    “The girl who is living with her grandmother told her what the accused did to her.

    “She told her grandmother that was the fourth time the accused would be having sexual intercourse with her.

    “Her grandmother reported the case and the accused was arrested,” the prosecutor said.

    The offence violated Sections 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes life imprisonment for offenders.

    The case was adjourned until Jan. 21 for mention.

  • Man remanded for alleged rape

    A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kano yesterday ordered that a 30-year-old man, Nura Bala, be remanded in prison for the alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman.

    The accused, who lives at Dorayi Quarters in Kano is facing a one-count charge of rape. Bala, however, pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Muhammad Jibril ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till December 27 for further mention.

    Prosecutor Pogu Lale had told the court that Fatima Salisu of Gwazaye Quarters, Kano, reported the case at Dorayi Babba Police Station on November 8.

    He said on November 6, about 7:30 pm, the accused deceived the complainant’s 22-year-old daughter on the pretext of marrying her.

    The prosecutor alleged that the accused lured the victim to an isolated area at Gwazaye Quarters, Kano, and forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

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    “Some days after the incident, the victim became mentally unstable and is receiving treatment at Dorayi Rehabilitation Centre, Kano,’’ he said.

  • Ayade’s aide arrested over alleged rape of 15-year old

    An aide to Cross Rivers Governor Ben Ayade, Edet Asim, is in police custody over alleged rape of a 15- year- old girl (name withheld).

    Asim, a lawyer and the Special Adviser to Governor Ayade on Biodiversity, was also Commissioner for Information and later Commissioner for Sports under former Governor Liyel Imoke.

    It was gathered girl had been continuously sexually defiled for the past three years by the aide, who is also a former chairman of Calabar Municipality local government area with the consent of her mother.

    The mother is also in custody.

    Although it could not be immediately confirmed, sources said the girl had been coerced to having two abortions since the defilement started.

    She was also allegedly forced not to mention it to anyone.

    It was learnt it was in the process of a third abortion, which led to complications that damaged her womb, that the matter became public.

    Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the development.

    “Yes, he is in detention. The case was reported yesterday and he has been arrested. The DPO is still trying to conclude.

    “They have to send the matter to State CID. It is a serious case. So we are waiting for it. The man is in our custody.

    “He is at Airport Police Station right now, but very soon, he will be transferred to State CID.

    “The mother is also in custody. She and the man were working together. They are accomplices,” Ugbo said.