Man arraigned in court for allegedly r*ping septuagenarian to death

A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Tuesday, heard testimony from an Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Babatunde Ashifat, about how a man named Jelili Lawal is accused of raping a septuagenarian to death.

Ashifat was called as a witness in the continuing sexual assault trial of Lawal before Justice Rahman Oshodi by the state’s attorney, Ms. Bukola Okeowo.

The prosecution witness testified in court that an officer who was out on patrol brought the matter to their station on January 2, 2019, for inquiry.

He said that two women who reportedly witnessed the defendant raping the victim called the police after seeing it.

Ashifat narrated that the old woman, who was with the defendant on January 1, 2019, at Maryland, asked him to assist her locate her way home.

The witness said: “The defendant gave her N500, and they boarded the same bus together. On getting to a bus stop, the defendant told her to come down at Shoprite and took her to an uncompleted building in a bushy area, assaulted and sexually abused her till the middle of the night.

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“The victim was crying for help when two ladies heard her and caught the defendant in the act. They helped the woman by calling a patrol officer and the matter was reported at our station.”

The witness further narrated that the victim, who had hearing problems, had been declared missing by her family and sustained injuries from the sexual assault. He noted that the alleged victim later died from the incident due to excessive bleeding.

“The victim was bleeding in her anus and vagina, and I issued a medical form for her to be taken to Mirabel Medical Centre.

“The medical doctor, who examined her confirmed that there was a forceful penetration on the vagina. I was told later that the victim died due to the bleeding sustained as a result of the rape,” the witness added.

The policeman claimed that he had taken down the purported victim’s and defendant’s statements, and that he had also gone to the crime scene, which was a bushy, deserted location with no one residing there.

Justice Oshodi adjourned further hearing until October 27 after hearing his testimony.

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