- Says banker, others sexually abused her inside mother’s room whenever she goes out to hawk pap
Notwithstanding her physical disabilities, a 14-year-old girl (names withheld) has revealed how she was turned into a sexual object by three of her mother’s neighbours in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.
She explained how three men who live in her mother’s compound took advantage of her physical disabilities and her mother’s poor economic condition to defile and rape her for about a year.
According to her, a father of two children and staff of a branch of a deposit money bank in Osogbo simply identified as Blessing would always come into the bathroom with her and sexually abuse her.
When Blessing was eventually caught red handed, he was said to have begged for forgiveness and the victim’s middle-aged mother forgave him.
Few weeks after Blessings’ agonizing experience, the teenage girl was allegedly raped on several occasions by two other men who live with her mother at the Ayegbaju Market Area of Osogbo.
A bachelor, Olayiwola Itunu, said to be a labourer, was accused of being in the habit of sneaking into the victim’s room whenever her mother steps out of the room around 6:30am to hawk pap.
Traumatized by Itunu’s constant abuse, the victim who limps while walking decided to confide in a married woman in her compound.
Instead of the woman to take actions to protect the girl from sexual predators around her, The Point gathered that the woman discussed the matter with her husband identified as Adeboye Dele, who took the advantage of the information and joined in the rape of the girl.
“It was Mr. Blessing that started it. He used to come into the bathroom whenever I was taking my bath. Before I could shout, he would use his hand and block my mouth. After he was caught, he begged my mother and she forgave him.
“Later, Brother Itunu who lives within our premises will be sneaking into our room and touching me. My mother used to sell pap and she goes out early in the morning. Once she steps out, Brother Itunu will come in and be touching me.
“He asked me not to tell my mother. But, when I could not bear it again, I reported him to a woman in our compound. But, afterwards, the husband of the woman I reported my ordeals to started abusing me too,” the teenager told The Point.
The victim’s mother said she used to go out every morning to sell pap, unknown to her, her neighbours have been raping her daughter.
“I am the only one taking care of her and she is my only child for now. I have to pay her school fees, feed and clothe her and it is from this selling of pap that I get the money. After her first rape incident, I never knew that other men in the compound have been damaging the life of my daughter until some other neighbours exposed them,” the victim’s mother said.
Meanwhile, the Police in Osun State have arrested Adeboye Dele, a 39-year-old commercial bus driver and Olayiwola Itunu, aged 29 and dragged them before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Osogbo.
The Point gathered that Blessing, said to be a staff of the First City Monument Bank, ran away from Osogbo.
“That you Adeboye Dele and Olayiwola Itunu and one other now at large, between year 2023 and 12th day of January, 2024 at about 4:00pm at Ayegbaju Market area, Osogbo, Osun State, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Defilement and Indecent Assault and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“That you Adeboye Dele, Olayiwola Itunu and one other now at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did unlawfully rape one Spencer (not real name) aged 14 years and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 2(2) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of Osun State 2021.
“You did unlawfully take undue advantage of your neighbour’s daughter and you sexually exploited her, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 32 of the Child’s Rights Laws of Osun State 2007,” the charges preferred against the suspects read in court.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Chief Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara ordered the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Fatoba Temitope to forward the duplicate of the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Ayilara ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till June 27 for mention.
