Islamic cleric nabbed for allegedly defiling 16-yr-old girl, claims she’s his wife

The Osun State Police Command, on Tuesday arrested one Habeebulah Abdurrahman, an Islamic cleric in Ede, for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old girl learning Arabic in his school.

The cleric’s arrest followed a petition by the Crescent Chamber, Ibadan on June 13, 2019, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, which explained how the cleric allegedly molested the victim.

It was learnt that the victim who is a Junior Secondary School 3 pupil of a private school in Ede had been living with her mother since the demise of her father before the cleric told the victim’s mother to withdraw her from the Arabic school.

He promised to enrol her in his own, with an assurance that he would personally train her.

It was alleged that Abdurrahman would delay her at the end of the lesson, without any justification when the victim joined the cleric’s school after which he allegedly bought a mobile phone for her with money in a bid to entice her.

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On April 18, 2019, the cleric took the victim and some of his pupils on a journey to Ilaro, Ogun State. He lodged the other pupils in one room and asked the victim to stay in his own room where he molested her.

The following morning, the cleric took her to his sister’s house in Abeokuta and also had intercourse with her there.

He gave her N50,000 to appease her when they returned from the trip.

When interrogated, he claimed that he had married the girl, but that claim was not true according to the girl’s mother.

Confirming the arrest to newsmen, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Folasade Odoro, said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Ige, had directed full investigation into the matter.

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