A businesswoman testified on Monday at the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, narrating how two security guards, Olabamiji Qudus and Jonah Christian, allegedly defiled her 16-year-old niece.
Led by Lagos State counsel, Mr. Babajide Boye, the witness identified the defendants as the alleged perpetrators who worked as security guards at the school where the survivor was enrolled.
The witness revealed that her niece, who faced learning challenges and had difficulties speaking, came to live with her after her mother passed away in 2015.
The incident reportedly occurred when the survivor was in Junior Secondary School 1 (JS1).
The court heard that the survivor fell ill, received malaria treatment, but showed no improvement. Instead, she began experiencing excretion issues from her anus.
“We took her to Isolo General Hospital and were later referred to Andrew Hospital in Surulere, where we discovered that she had been sexually assaulted through the anus,” the witness stated.
The witness continued, “Upon further questioning, she revealed that the school’s security guards had sexually assaulted her. She confessed that she was threatened not to disclose the incident or risk dire consequences.”
The matter was reported to the Orile-Iganmu Police Station, and upon investigation, the survivor identified the two defendants as her assailants.
Under cross-examination by defense counsel Mr. Mufutau Durojaiye, the witness clarified that the minor, her deceased sister’s daughter, had speech difficulties but had no mental health concerns. Medical findings confirmed that the minor had been sexually assaulted through the anus.
She said, “The police at Orile-Iganmu took us to WARIF where we were referred to the Ikeja General Hospital. She was given drugs and a medical report,” the witness said.
The defendants face a two-count of defilement and sexual assault by penetration, allegedly committed in February 2022 at Tonia International College, Coker, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos.
The prosecution, representing the Lagos State Government, accused the defendants of defiling and sexually assaulting the minor, contravening Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the trial until Feb. 27, 2024, for further proceedings.
