Eruwa community, in the Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, was thrown into confusion as a middle-aged man (simply known as Ajibode) allegedly raped a 16-year-old Olayemi Agbeloba, the apprentice of his wife at their residence.
The victim reportedly committed suicide after the incident.
Ajibode, who is a welder, was reported to have threatened to kill the girl if she revealed what happened to anyone.
It was learnt that the girl had been learning fashion design from Ajibode’s wife and was said to have been living with her boss to also assist her with domestic chores.
According to a reliable source, things took another turn as she was sleeping in a room at the couple’s residence when Ajibode entered and allegedly raped her on 23rd June.
Worried by the development, the deceased, who was said to have been traumatised by Ajibode’s action, reportedly drank a substance suspected to be insecticide and died from the toxic substance.
Contacted, Agbeloba’s father, Sunday, who had been inconsolable after he was informed of the circumstances that led to her daughter’s decision to take her life, said he has reported the case at the Eruwa Police Station in a bid to get justice for his late daughter,
He, however, lamented that the police, while investigating the case, arrested Ajibode, adding that the suspect had been boasting that nothing would come out of the case.
Sunday said; “Olayemi went to Ajibode’s wife’s house early this year because my wife and I decided that she should learn handiwork. She had been staying with Ajibode and his wife for about six months and suddenly, we were told that she died.
“Later, we heard Ajibode had raped my daughter after which she drank an insecticide. This was confirmed by medical workers at the hospital she was taken to for treatment after she drank the insecticide.
“At the hospital, we were also told that before my daughter died, she said Ajibode raped her and that was what made her to drink the insecticide. I reported the case at the Eruwa Police Station and he was arrested and released. Since then, Ajibode has been claiming that he knows people and that there is nothing we could do to him. He raped my daughter and pushed her to commit suicide and he’s still very confident that he would go scot-free.”
Narrating her ordeal amid tears, the mother of the deceased, Folake, demanded justice over the death of her daughter.
She added that her late daughter once confided to her that Ajibode usually disturbed her while sleeping at night. “I can’t speak now because they have taken my daughter away from me. Is it a crime for someone to go and learn a trade? Ajibode raped my daughter and he and his wife are trying to hide the crime that he committed. My daughter is gone because of what Ajibode did to her.
“She once told me that her boss’s husband usually disturbed her at night when she retired to sleep in their house. I wanted to make her come back home but also wanted her to finish her apprenticeship. Look at what they did to my child?”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Adewale Osifeso said: “A case of homicide was reported at the Eruwa Divisional Police Headquarters. It is also more like a case of defilement”. He said investigations have been escalated and further updates would be provided accordingly.
