The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday, Oct. 24, heard how a man, Jelili Lawal, r@ped a septuagenarian to death.

 

An Assistant Superintendent of Police, Babatunde Ashifat, told the court that on January 2, 2019, he received the case for investigation by an officer who was on patrol.

 

He said the police officer was called by two ladies, who saw the defendant allegedly r@ping the victim.

 

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.

 

“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 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 police officer said he recorded the statements of the victim and the defendant, adding that he visited the scene of the crime, which was a bushy and an abandoned place where no one was living.

 

After listening to his testimony, Justice Oshodi adjourned further hearing to October 27.