It seems many men, old or young, are ignorant of what constitutes rape or defilement when a sexual act between a male and female is without the consent of one of the parties or the female involved is under 16 years of age. But since  law is no respecter of persons, an 18-year-old boy, Opeyemi Badejo, has been nabbed by the Police on the allegation of raping a 15-year-old JSS3 student, Taiwo (not real name). The rape victim’s mother had her shop situated close to the residence of

Opeyemi who lived in Beyerunka area of Ibadan. The suspect, Opeyemi, was an apprentice learning how to trade in, and repair, electronics at Gbelekale area.

Reports had it that on Sunday, February 27, Taiwo had gone to Opeyemi’s house to break a N500 note into smaller denominations, as she had no change to give her mother’s customer who came to their shop to purchase some goods. She met Opeyemi’s sister –in-law who changed the money for her and was on her way out of the compound when she was accosted by the suspect. Before she knew what was happening, she had been dragged into Opeyemi’s room and since it was raining heavily, the spattering of the rain on the ground reportedly drowned Taiwo’s voice as she cried for help.

That was how Opeyemi had his way and his victim bled heavily afterwards, which led to the young girl reporting the incident to her mother. Promptly, the mother took care of her daughter to stop the bleeding which was profuse, after which she reported the case at Agugu Police Station. The Divisional Crime Officer, ASP Olawale Ayoola, sent some detectives to the scene where the suspect, Opeyemi, was arrested in his father’s house.

When speaking with Sunday Tribune, Opeyemi initially denied raping Taiwo, saying she was his girlfriend and had come to his house to honour his earlier invitation. According to Opeyemi when he first spoke, “Taiwo is my girlfriend and we have been dating for about six months now. On Sunday February 27, I asked if she would come to my house and she answered in the affirmative. When she later came to my house, I asked after her mother and she told me she had gone out.  I asked her for sex but she declined my overtures, saying she was menstruating and that was her first time. I left her then and she went back to her mother’s shop

In the evening of same day, Taiwo came to tell me that her mother wanted to see me. I went to her and she asked me what happened between me and her daughter and I replied that nothing happened, save for the fact that she is my girlfriend. Taiwo’s mother then said I raped her daughter, the girl was brought and she also said the same thing. That was what landed me in police net.

However, Taiwo denied ever being Opeyemi’s girlfriend. “All I knew was that he used to joke whenever he came to buy something from my mother’s shop that he would marry me. On that Sunday, my mum was not in the shop and I needed change for a customer. I went to Opeyemi’s sister-in-law who changed the money. On my way out, I met Opeyemi who told me to come inside. I asked him why I should do so, then told him to leave the way for me, as a customer was waiting for me. That was how he pulled my hands and dragged me inside his room. We started struggling to the point that the standing mirrror in the room broke into pieces when we pushed against it.

“He pushed me to the ground, forced my thighs open, pushed my pants to one side and penetrated me with force. I was trying to cry out but he held my neck, so I could not breathe well. Everything happened around 7.pm,” Taiwo said.

However, Opeyemi changed tune when the victim was brought face-to-face with him. He agreed having sex with her, and also admitted that he was the one who deflowered her.  “I begged her to please agree to my plea to have sex with her but she refused. I pushed her to the ground and penetrated her. She started crying Ye! Ye!! Ye!!! When I saw she was bleeding so much, I stood up and left her. I helped her in cleaning up the blood with her jeans skirt. It is true I met her as a virgin but I did not force myself on her. I saw her bleeding so much so I thought it was her menses that came”, Opeyemi said in a counter to his earlier statement. He said he first denied the occurrence because he had been taught not to confess.

According to the medical report on the condition of the girl after the rape, the doctor wrote this as part of his report: “Labia minora bruised, hymen raggedly torn, stable but anxious young girl. Vagina exuding blood mixed with slimy substance suspected to be human semen.”

The case had since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, for further investigations.