BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The police in Osun State have arrested a 46-year-old suspected native doctor, Yinusa Ajayi, for allegedly luring a 17-year-old-girl, Joy Paul (not real name), into his shrine and raping her.
Ajayi was also accused of defrauding the victim of the sum of N20, 000 under the guise that he wanted to make a charm that would attract good luck to her.
It was gathered that the suspect, said to be a neighbour to Joy, lured her into a room which he used as shrine at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, and sexually assaulted her.
Before the act, Yinusa allegedly collected the sum of N20, 000 meant to prepare the good luck charm for her but failed to deliver.
The suspect was arraigned at an Osogbo Chief Magistrate’s Court recently where he was slammed with five-count-charge bothering on rape, sexual exploitation, assault, fraud and theft.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Elisha Olusegun, informed the court that the offences were committed on November 2, 2021 at about 9am at Oke-Baale area, Osogbo.
“You, at the same time and place, did fraudulently obtain the sum of N20, 000 from one Joy Paul under the guise of assisting her to prepare a good luck charm. You (defendant) did steal the sum of N20, 000 property of Joy Paul”
The charge against him read that “Yinusa Ajayi, at about 9am at Oke-Baale area, Osogbo, did unlawfully have sexual intercourse with one Joy Paul, aged 17. You took undue advantage of her, sexually exploited and assaulted her.
“You, at the same time and place, did fraudulently obtain the sum of N20, 000 from one Joy Paul under the guise of assisting her to prepare a good luck charm. You (defendant) did steal the sum of N20, 000 property of Joy Paul.”
Olusegun said that the defendant committed offences contrary to and punishable under Section 31(1)(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Osun State, 2007.
Yinusa was also said to contravene sections 32, 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The defence counsel, Najite Okobe, prayed the court to grant Yinusa bail in liberal terms.
However, the prosecutor objected to the bail application on the grounds that he would jump bail. He stated that the defendant initially escaped after committing the act before he was re-arrested.
The accused person claimed that the lady consented to the sexual act, insisting that they had been having love affairs for some time.
“That would not be the first time we would be having sex. She is a mother of two children and she came to me to help her prepare a good luck charm which I was working on before the police arrested me,” Yinusa explained in Yoruba language.
Chief Magistrate A.O. Ayilara ordered that the accused person be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.
Ayilara ordered the prosecution to duplicate the case file and forward the same to the Directorate of Public Prosecution at the State Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
He then adjourned the case till May 24 for mention.
