CITIZENS COMPASS– A married woman, Imolita (surname withheld), has told the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos State, how she was allegedly raped by a security guard, Ibuchi Emmanuel, at a school where she worked as a nurse.
According to her, she was on night duty on the day the incident happened, while Emmanuel was also on duty that night.
She said while she was on her way to inspect the school’s clinic before retiring to her desk, the defendant approached her and demanded to see her later that night.
Imolita said around 9pm while she was at her desk, which had a bed beside it, the defendant knocked on the door to the room, but she hesitated to let him in.
She later let the defendant in after he requested vitamin C from her.
After giving him the drug, the 35-year-old said she offered Emmanuel a seat when he said he had been wanting to say something to her.
According to her, during their discussion, he professed love to her and she replied that she was married with kids.
She said he then proceeded to force himself on her and told her not to bother screaming for help because no one would hear her voice.
Imolita said, “I then told him that I know you are a man but I’m going to fight you so you won’t be able to have your way. While we were dragging each other, he got tired and was like even if he was going to have sex with me, he had no strength left. I then told him to take himself away because I’m not a cheap woman; he should go and look for single girls.”
She said Emmanuel agreed to leave the room but changed his mind and began making moves to kiss, touch and take off her pants, which she resisted.
“He came back and pushed me. After he did, I tried to kick him but he grabbed my legs. By then, I was already laying on my back while he was using his security boots to march my legs. I started begging him not to do what he wanted to do, but he insisted that he must do it.
“I asked him if he knew about the place I came from. I reminded him that I’m from Delta and women from that state don’t meet other men once married. I continued to beg him and told him that his action would cost me my marriage. He said anything that would happen should happen. I told him to hold on and that I had a condom in my bag. He said no and that was when he finished having his way with me,” she added.
During cross-examination, Imolita said the reason she told the defendant to get a condom was that she thought it would give her the chance to escape.
The case was adjourned by Justice Ramon Oshodi till March 22, 2023, for continuation of trial, while the defendant was remanded in the Ikoyi Custodial Centre.
–The Punch
