LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – An 18-year-old teenager has dragged her 37-Year-Old father, one Rowland Okajare, to the Ogba Magistrate Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, for abusing and severally raping her.
According to the victim, since she was 11 years old, her father has sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions without her mother’s knowledge.
She started to accept her father’s dominance over her as the norm and gave in to the unfair treatment because her mother was adamant about resolving the issue.
After learning about the effects of incest and coerced sexual encounters in school, the youngster decided to open up to her Social Studies Teacher (name withheld) who immediately took the case up.
The teenager sought refuge in a human rights officer (name withheld) who in turn directed the case to the appropriate authorities. CSP Grace Agboola took charge of the case and dragged the defendant to court.
Okajare, who reportedly raped his teenage daughter on 4 January, in his shop in Ikotun axis of Lagos State, appeared before Magistrate L.A Owolabi on 13 March 2023.
According to the prosecutor, the offence committed is punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charge against the accused reads: “That you, Roland Okajere, on January 4, 2023, at your shop at Ikotun Bus Stop, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did rape your daughter, 18, by having sexual intercourse with her without her consent and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
The victim, during the cross examination before the court, revealed that she was only 11 years old when her father started defiling her, adding that she had confided in her mother countless times to intervene in the situation but she did nothing about it.
“I told my mother countless times of how my father would finger my private parts when we’re at home alone and in his shop but she did nothing about it. It was only the first time I told her that she took her phone and called my daddy while he was in his shop at Ikotun. Nothing changed.
“I started seeing it as a normal thing until My social studies teacher spoke against Incest in class,” she said.
When the victim’s mother, who was present during the court process, was asked by the magistrate if her daughter had confided in her about the acts of her father, she disagreed with the victim’s claim and nodded in the negative.
Owolabi said the defendant should be remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre for 30 days pending the advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.
The case was adjourned till 12 April 2023, for mention.
