If not for providence the case involving a 54 year old motorcycle
rider, Seun Aderemi, who raped a primary six pupil until she fainted
would have been swept under the carpet by some interested parties in
Igbara-Oke, Ifedore council area of Ondo State.
The
case of Marvelous (not real name) was pathetic as she was raped in the
presence of the accused person’s pregnant wife Oluwayemisi and son,
11-year-old Ayobami in their house.
She was hospitalized for weeks and could not sit for the common
entrance examination as she had to be operated upon at the specialist
hospital in Akure.
Her private part was said to have been badly affected following the injuries she sustained.
Marvelous who reportedly bled profusely after the act also fainted
before she was rushed to a private hospital in Igbara-Oke before she was
referred to the state hospital for surgery to stop the bleeding
occassioned by injuries sustained in her private part.
This act, according to some Police detectives who investigated the
matter may have some diabolical reasons, which they are yet to unravel .
Vanguard gathered that while the accused was having carnal knowledge
of the pupil under their noses, they reportedly feigned ignorance in
one of the rooms in their house.
Common Entrance
Reports had it that the accused person on that day at about 7.00am,
at his residence located at Onigemo street, Igbara-Oke forcefully pulled
the victim who was on her way to write common entrance examination but
decided to stop over to ask her school mate who happened to the accused
persons son to join her to trek to the venue of the examination.
On getting to the house of her friend, she discovered that he was ready but had misplaced his examination slip.
She reportedly helped him search for it and they were lucky to find the slip after about 20 minutes of frantic search.
A police detective disclosed to
Vanguard that the
misplacement of the examination slip was a decoy by the family members
to lure the girl into the room for the devilish act.
Vanguard was also informed that while the girl was
forcefully pulled into the room, the wife of the accused person and son
were around but failed to raise any alarm, an indication that it was a
planned job.
The accused person was said to have rushed out of the room when the victim started bleeding and fainted.
She was rushed to a private hospital and the parents who were
security guards in a telecommunication outfit- Pastor and Mrs Diya were
informed.
The accused person was later picked up by Police detectives and was
said to have informed the detectives that the victim was his girl
friend.
Some interests reportedly intervened and the matter was turned against the victim.
The accused person who hails from the town rallied notable
personalities in the town and the service of a lawyer was secured to
free him. However, the poor parents of the victim, who earn N8,000 each
a month took solace in God’s intervention and shouldered the
responsibility of taking care of their daughter’s hospital bill. But
relief came their way when officials of the state Women Affairs Ministry
got wind of the travail of the family and subsequently waded in.
The matter which was almost swept under the carpet received life and a lawyer was secured to get her justice.
The table turned as those personalities that wanted to oppress the
hapless family of the victim ceased when the ministry showed interest
in the matter.
Vanguard gathered that the accused person pleaded guilty at his first appearance in court but later changed his plea.
The legal battle which eventually earned the accused person nine
years imprisonment with hard labour and without an option of fine
lasted about two and half months.
During the trial, the wife of the accused and his son who stood as
witnesses told the court that the victim was a girl friend of the
accused person. They told the court that she was given N300 by the
accused person after having sex with her adding that she consented to
the game.
Counsel to the accused person however pleaded with the court to
temper justice with mercy because he is the bread winner of his house
and that the wife is nursing a three month old baby. However, the Chief
Magistrate Olusola Olowookere said that the punishment would serve as
deterrent to others who take advantage of minors by having carnal
knowledge of them.
She said that it was evidently clear from the evidence given by the
witnesses and the protection witness A. Asani that the victim didn’t
give her consent to the illicit act. The Chief Magistrate added that the
testimony given by the accused person and her son Ayobami were
contradictory.
An application letter of fiat to prosecute the case was brought
before the Igbara-Oke chief Magistrate Court by A I Ojopagogo and co,
Morris Chamber, Akure and tendered before th e court for further
prosecution of the matter.
The copy of the letter made available to Vanguard reads, we act as
solicitor to Miss Diya Marvellous, a 14 year old girl who is the
complainant in the charge no MGB/3c/2015 and on her behalf and her
parents, instructions do hereby apply for your fiat to prosecute Mr.
Seun Aderemi who is accused of unlawful carnal knowledge of the said
little girl.
“As observers holding watching brief for the complainant, we are of
the opinion that the prosecution is not being handled with the requisite
professional competence considering the gravity of the offence.
Legal practitioners
“ We are convinced that the facts and justice of the case and it’s
implication for public good require the competence of legal
practitioners. “ We assure your good offices that we are well briefed of
the facts of the case to enable us competently handle same in the
interest of justice”.
Speaking with
Vanguard, the mother of the victim Mrs Oluwatoyin Diya expressed displeasure over the verdict of the court.
Mrs Diya said the nine year jail term setence cannot be compared with
the trauma her daughter went through in the hands of the ‘devil’. She
said the parents have handed over the matter to God to judge the accused
person accordingly.
The representative from the Ministry of Women Affairs in Ondo State,
Oluwaniyi Ogunleye, enjoined parents to always go the extra mile to
scrutinize the friends of their children.
A motorcycle rider simply identified as Ibrahim was this morning killed
by suspected ritual killers, with h!s eyes plucked out and h!s lifeless
body dumped at Alaba Suru along the Badagry expressway Lagos this
morning.