MICHAEL AKINOLA
It was double jeopardy for a 17-year old girl, who lost her phone to robbers and a 57-year old senior Police officer, DSP Owolabi Akinolu, offered to assist her to recover the phone but ended up allegedly defiling her at gun point inside his office at the Area Command Headquarters.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 29th June, 2024, at the Area H Command Headquarters, Ogudu area of Lagos, where DSP Akinolu was serving and committed the alleged dastardly act.
The officer, DSP Akinolu, now retired, may spend the rest of his life in prison custody for his alleged conduct as he has been arrested and charged for defilement under the Criminal Laws of the State.
Sequel to his arrest, Akinolu was charged before the Ogba Magistrate Court by the Gender Section of the Police Command for defilement.
However, the Court has ordered his remand in custody at the correctional center and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP for legal advice because of the seriousness of the alleged offence.
In the affidavit sworn by the Investigating Police Officer, sighted by P.M.EXPRESS, it stated:
“The Complainant reported that on 16/06/2024, she was robbed along Third Mainland Bridge Lagos and her phone carted away by the robbers. On 20/06/2024, as her mom was discussing the robbery incident with her friends beside Iponri Police Barrack, one Supol Owolabi Akinolu ‘m’ DSP overheard the conversation and volunteered to assist them track the phone. “On 29/06/2024, he invited her through her mom to report to his office at Area ‘H’ Command, Ogudu that he had arrested one of the robbers and her phone recovered. She further stated that on getting to his office, he closed the door and locked it with a key immediately she entered. She further stated that when she questioned his motive of locking the door, he became resilient and brought out a gun and threatened to shoot her if she shouts and he ordered her to pull off her clothes and she obeyed out of fear. And the said Supol Owolabi Akinlolu raped her and warned her not to tell anyone”.
The Police found him culpable after the investigation and then charged him before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The charge read:
“That you, DSP Owolabi Akinolu (Rtd) ‘m’, on the 29th day of June, 2024, in your office at Area ‘H’ Police Command, Ogudu – Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did defile the victim ‘f’ 17 years old by having sexual intercourse with her and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
The Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Akeem Raji ,asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for legal advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, ordered his remand in custody pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned for mention for the report of the DPP’s advice to be ready, which will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.