Driver raped student for 21 days, say police

The State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, has arraigned a 28-year-old man, Gbenga Asaye, before a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court for allegedly abducting and raping a student of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin.

The police said the incident happened at the Agege area of the state.

It was learnt that the 18-year-old victim had left her mother’s shop on January 21, 2014 for school, but had transportation challenge due to lack of money.

She reportedly met Asaye, a family friend, on the road. He promised to assist her with money and take her back to school in his vehicle.

The Ogun State indigene was said to have, however, taken the student to his house in Agege where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of the victim, who was a virgin before the encounter.

The victim was said to have been abducted by the defendant for 21 days that the sexual assault lasted.

It was learnt that the victim did not escape because she could not muster the courage of telling her parents she had been deflowered.

The mother was said to have reported a case of missing person at the Pen Cinema Police Station, after which enquires about the whereabouts of the victim led to the arrest of Asaye.

He was arraigned on Monday before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court on one count of abduction.

The charge reads, “That you, Gbenga Asaye, on January 21, 2014, at 3, Enimature Street, off Oyemekun Street, Agege Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did abduct one (name witheld), aged 18 years for the purpose of sexual intercourse and held her against her consent until February 10, 2014.”

The police prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji, said the offence was punishable under Section 266 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and elected summary trial.

The victim, her mother and the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Monday Ebuzume, were in court.

The defence counsel, Gbolahan Samuel, applied for the bail of the defendant in liberal terms.

“My Lord, this is not a case of abduction as it has been made to look on the charge sheet. It is a case of boyfriend and girlfriend,” he added.

The magistrate, Ms Y.B. Badejo-Okusanya, however objected to giving of evidence, saying it was premature.

She admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned till March 31, 2014 for mention.

PUNCH