Rape victim recounts ordeal, says police DPO ‘sprayed me teargas, called me prostitute’

A rape victim (name withheld) has narrated to a Lagos State Special Sexual Offences Court sitting in Ikeja how she was raped, adding that when she reported the case to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Anthony Village Police Division, the DPO sprayed teargas into her eyes and called her a prostitute.
 
The victim disclosed this in her testimony before Justice Sybil Nwaka yesterday.

According to her, on the day of the incident, September 15, 2015, when she was returning home from a church programme, she went to a nearby shop to buy some things for her mother. Unknowingly, one Afis Akande followed her.

“So, he took me to a mall and offered to pay for what I bought, which I refused but he prevailed and paid for the items. After leaving the mall, he told me that my uncle is in his house and I should follow him to see my uncle. We boarded a motorcycle to the Westex area in Gbagada where he stayed.

“We alighted and crossed over to Water Cooperation Pipeline to get to his compound. Instead of entering the compound, he took me to a bush, tore my trousers and pulled my pant to rape me. I cried and begged him to leave me alone but he did not listen to me.”

She further narrated that a man who came to the bush whom she thought would rescue her called her a prostitute and held her down for Akande to have his way a second time.

She said she went to report the incident at the police station when the unidentified DPO allegedly used the tear gas on her. “When I got to Anthony police station to report, the DPO who blamed me for going to Akande’s house used tear gas on me, threatened to use the tear gas on my private part and called me a prostitute.

“After maltreating me, I was asked to write a statement before the case file was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.”

There was mild drama during proceeding yesterday as the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Worer Obuagbaka, told the court that he wants to disengage himself from the suit after he heard the testimony of the victim.
 
The trial judge however refused, adding that he had not presented a cogent reason before the court and subsequently adjourned the matter till January 30, 2018.