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| How a UNILAG alumnus assaulted students –Witnesses |
Three members of staff of the University of Lagos, on Monday, explained to a Lagos State Sexual Offences Court how an alleged serial rapist, John Otema, attacked students on the campus and sexually assaulted them.
Otema, who is a UNILAG alumnus, is facing three counts bordering on rape and assault occasioning harm contrary to sections 173 and 260 (1) (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The members of staff, who testified at Monday’s proceedings, were a member of the crime section, UNILAG security unit, who is also the Investigating Security Officer in the case, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi; a doctor at the College of Medicine, Dr Adedoyin Solola; and Dr Aishat Bello of the UNILAG Medical Centre.
At Monday’s proceedings, Ajayi, who had given his evidence-in-chief on December 11, 2018, was cross-examined by Otema’s counsel, Fred Onyeka.
Ajayi told the court that one of the assaulted students informed him about how Otema raped her.
He had said, “On Wednesday, January 17, 2018, while coming from her hostel to the Moremi Hall, an unknown man parked his car and asked for directions to the Moremi Hall; he compelled her to enter the car.
“The unknown man drove her to the Distant Learning Institute area where he assaulted her by punching her in the face several times, bit her back and ordered her to remove her clothes.
“He took her nude photos and had carnal knowledge of her twice without a condom. The defendant deflowered her and he asked her to bring a handkerchief, which she used to clean her private parts.
“He collected the handkerchief, took her pants and bra, and took her to a refuse dump. He ordered her to leave his car and told her to count from one to 50 and he drove off.”
Ajayi further told the court that another student had on February 1, 2018, lodged a complaint at the UNILAG security post that the defendant raped her twice around 11.30pm on January 31, 2018, in his apartment in Bariga, Lagos.
He informed the court that the defendant was apprehended when one of the students saw him outside the New Hall (a hostel on the campus) and immediately alerted the university security.
Ajayi, while being cross-examined on Monday by Onyeka, denied assaulting Otema when he was apprehended by the security team of the university.
He said, “I never poured water on the defendant; I did not tell the defendant to kneel by his car. I did not run a scan on the car’s number plate to determine whether it belonged to the defendant or not as we do not have the gadget to do thaty in our security unit.
“The last time I saw that car was when I went to the Adeniji Adele Police Station.”
Giving her evidence, Solola explained her findings after she medically examined one of the students.
She said, “On examination, she had a swollen face, black eyes, scratches on her neck and a visible bite mark on her upper back. She also had bruises on her arms.
“I asked her if she would do a vaginal examination and she consented. She had a small laceration on the posterior aspect of the vagina; there was remnant of hymen seen and some clotted blood, but she was not bleeding as of that time.
“We sent her for post exposure propolatis and post coital exposure, and we also gave her an anti-tetanus injection and the scratches and bite marks healed.”
Solola said that a report of the examination was issued by Dr Coker, the acting Head of the College of Medicine.
Testifying, Bello narrated to the court her findings when she examined another student, who was allegedly assaulted by the defendant.
She said, “A young lady came to the medical centre around 2.30pm on February 1, 2018; she complained that she was sexually assaulted; she said she had visited a male friend (the defendant) and was sexually assaulted.
“On examination, I saw a sad looking lady, areas of redness around both eyes and there was a bruise on the left part of her neck. On further examination of the vagina, there was tenderness around the vulva.
“There was a cut around the opening of the vagina and a whitish discharge from the vagina.
“An assessment of sexual assault was made based on the examination and we further sent the patient for some investigation like HIV, Hepatitis B and a pregnancy test, which all came out negative.
“There was documentation done in the hospital in her case file; a report was made to the security unit of UNILAG.”
While being cross-examined by Onyeka, Bello said she had no contact with the defendant during her investigation.
Justice Soladoye adjourned the case till February 18 for the continuation of trial.
Otema, who is a UNILAG alumnus, is facing three counts bordering on rape and assault occasioning harm contrary to sections 173 and 260 (1) (2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The members of staff, who testified at Monday’s proceedings, were a member of the crime section, UNILAG security unit, who is also the Investigating Security Officer in the case, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi; a doctor at the College of Medicine, Dr Adedoyin Solola; and Dr Aishat Bello of the UNILAG Medical Centre.
At Monday’s proceedings, Ajayi, who had given his evidence-in-chief on December 11, 2018, was cross-examined by Otema’s counsel, Fred Onyeka.
Ajayi told the court that one of the assaulted students informed him about how Otema raped her.
He had said, “On Wednesday, January 17, 2018, while coming from her hostel to the Moremi Hall, an unknown man parked his car and asked for directions to the Moremi Hall; he compelled her to enter the car.
“The unknown man drove her to the Distant Learning Institute area where he assaulted her by punching her in the face several times, bit her back and ordered her to remove her clothes.
“He took her nude photos and had carnal knowledge of her twice without a condom. The defendant deflowered her and he asked her to bring a handkerchief, which she used to clean her private parts.
“He collected the handkerchief, took her pants and bra, and took her to a refuse dump. He ordered her to leave his car and told her to count from one to 50 and he drove off.”
Ajayi further told the court that another student had on February 1, 2018, lodged a complaint at the UNILAG security post that the defendant raped her twice around 11.30pm on January 31, 2018, in his apartment in Bariga, Lagos.
He informed the court that the defendant was apprehended when one of the students saw him outside the New Hall (a hostel on the campus) and immediately alerted the university security.
Ajayi, while being cross-examined on Monday by Onyeka, denied assaulting Otema when he was apprehended by the security team of the university.
He said, “I never poured water on the defendant; I did not tell the defendant to kneel by his car. I did not run a scan on the car’s number plate to determine whether it belonged to the defendant or not as we do not have the gadget to do thaty in our security unit.
“The last time I saw that car was when I went to the Adeniji Adele Police Station.”
Giving her evidence, Solola explained her findings after she medically examined one of the students.
She said, “On examination, she had a swollen face, black eyes, scratches on her neck and a visible bite mark on her upper back. She also had bruises on her arms.
“I asked her if she would do a vaginal examination and she consented. She had a small laceration on the posterior aspect of the vagina; there was remnant of hymen seen and some clotted blood, but she was not bleeding as of that time.
“We sent her for post exposure propolatis and post coital exposure, and we also gave her an anti-tetanus injection and the scratches and bite marks healed.”
Solola said that a report of the examination was issued by Dr Coker, the acting Head of the College of Medicine.
Testifying, Bello narrated to the court her findings when she examined another student, who was allegedly assaulted by the defendant.
She said, “A young lady came to the medical centre around 2.30pm on February 1, 2018; she complained that she was sexually assaulted; she said she had visited a male friend (the defendant) and was sexually assaulted.
“On examination, I saw a sad looking lady, areas of redness around both eyes and there was a bruise on the left part of her neck. On further examination of the vagina, there was tenderness around the vulva.
“There was a cut around the opening of the vagina and a whitish discharge from the vagina.
“An assessment of sexual assault was made based on the examination and we further sent the patient for some investigation like HIV, Hepatitis B and a pregnancy test, which all came out negative.
“There was documentation done in the hospital in her case file; a report was made to the security unit of UNILAG.”
While being cross-examined by Onyeka, Bello said she had no contact with the defendant during her investigation.
Justice Soladoye adjourned the case till February 18 for the continuation of trial.
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