A policewoman, Insp. Vivian Nduka, on Monday narrated how a driver, Adelaja Oloyede, allegedly raped a tailor in his house at Ikorodu, near Lagos with the aid of black magic known also as “juju”.

Nduka made the claims while testifying at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court during the trial of Oloyede, 40, on a charge of rape.

Nduka, whose career spans some 17 years as a policewoman, was led in evidence by a state prosecutor, Mrs Arinola Momoh-Ayokanbi.

Giving her testimony, Nduka said that the complainant (name withheld), was a 23-year-old tailor and that on Dec.19, 2017 at 11a.m. she came to the Shagamu Road Police Station to lodge a complaint that she was raped by the defendant.

“She said that at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2017, she was coming back from church and on her way, she met the defendant, who was standing at the back of his shop. She said that she greeted him and that as she was walking, the defendant called her back”.

“He said that he knows her and that she is a tailor and asked her to give him a handshake which she refused. The defendant then asked her to follow him that he wanted to give her some clothes to sew for him and she hesitated”.

“He then touched her hand and whatever he commanded her to do, she did. She followed him to his house and as they entered his bedroom, there were two clay native pots on the floor.

“A circle was drawn in front of the two native clay pots with a white substance and she was asked to kneel in the centre of the circle. He started making some incantations and he put a chain on her neck. He removed the chain and put a native towel on her and asked her to come out of the circle,” she said.

Nduka said that Oloyede had tried removing the underwear of the complainant but that she resisted and a scuffle ensued.

“The complainant was begging him to no avail not to rape her and the defendant showed her a ring in her hand. He said that he will hit her with the ring and no one will know her whereabouts for seven days and that whatever he wants to do to her will still be done”.

“She started begging him to leave her alone that she is a virgin, the defendant did not listen to her pleas but rather had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.”

Nduka said that the complainant lodged a complaint with the police and she was referred to the General Hospital, Ikorodu for medical examination where it was confirmed by medics that she was raped.

She said that as part of her investigations, on Dec. 20, 2017, she and another female policewoman went to Oloyede’s shop to invite him for questioning.

“Immediately we introduced ourselves and he sighted the victim, he started shouting in Yoruba: “rape case ni, rape case ni” (this is a rape case).

“We told him to respect himself that if we wanted the neighbourhood to be alerted he would have been handcuffed. We went to his home and he showed us the native pots.

“We chartered a commercial tricycle to take us to the police station but he declined, saying that he will go in his car.”

Nduka told the court that the defendant, under the guise of filling the radiator of his car with water, absconded from their custody.

She said that she reported Oloyede to the Baale of Ita-Oluwo in Ikorodu and that the Baale ordered that due to the gravity of the offence that the defendant, who was now on the run, should be arrested.

“I dropped an invitation letter with his relatives and on Jan. 15, 2018, he reported to the police station with his mother.

“During interrogation, he confessed to the allegation and said that he had absconded because he had previously spent a long time in prison for a different case and it took a while before his bail was perfected.

“He denied using any substance on the complainant, explaining that the two native pots, were “ifa” (divinity). One belonged to him and the other belonged to his father,’’ Nduka said.

The prosecution, tendered torn pants and tights which were worn by the complainant on the day of the alleged rape as evidence and marked as exhibits B1 and B2.

While being cross-examined by the Defence Counsel, Mr C.J. Jiakpona, the policewoman said that when she went to invite Oloyede for questioning, he had been accused by his neighbours of committing similar crimes in the past.

She also said the torn underwear of the complainant was recovered at Oloyede’s home.

“The victim did not report the rape immediately because he had threatened her that if she opens her mouth to speak, she will start vomiting blood.

“After the incident, she however, started having stomach pains and started losing weight, she confided in her mother and they contacted the authorities,” Nduka said.

Following the policewoman’s testimony, Momoh-Ayokanbi informed the court that the prosecution had closed its case.

Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case until March 19 for defence.

The offence contravenes Section 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)