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.
Vanguard
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