A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has commenced the trial of a man, Jelili Lawal, who allegedly lured a 75-year old woman into an uncompleted building and raped her to death.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Maryland area of Lagos when the septuagenarian asked the man, Lawal to take her home but he rather took her to the uncompleted building.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, heard testimony from an Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Babatunde Ashifat, how the man, Lawal, caused the death of the elderly woman.
The IPO, Ashifat, was called as a witness before the Court by the State’s Attorney, Ms. Bukola Okeowo. The prosecution witness testified in Court that an officer, who was out on patrol brought the matter to their station on January 2, 2019, for inquiry.
He said that two women, who reportedly witnessed the man raping the victim called the Police after seeing it.
Ashifat narrated that the old woman, who was with Lawal on January 1, 2019, at Maryland, asked him to assist her locate her way home.
“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 from 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 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 Policeman claimed that he had taken down the purported victim’s and defendant’s statements, and that he had also gone to the crime scene, which was a bushy, deserted location with no one residing there.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till 27th October, 2023, for continuation of trial.