A Nigerian court has ordered the arrest of identical twin brothers and an accomplice on the purported gang rape of a girlfriend and posting her naked image on social media. Two more perpetrators are still in large.
Osogbo Magistrates' Court remanded Olabode Kehinde, Olabode Taye, and Bakare Yusuf who were charged with “unlawful carnal knowledge, indecent assault, breach of peace, damage of reputation, and conspiracy” against Rukayat Adeyemo, the victim.
According to The Nation, the victim attempted to commit suicide as a result of the heinous crime committed by five individuals.
The three committed acts against Sections 516, 358, and 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. Il laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
Inspector Temitope Fatoba, the prosecutor, informed the court that the three perpetrated the offense about 7 p.m. in March 2021 in the Oke-Abuja area, Iragbiji, Osun State.
“[The three] conspired among themselves to rape, indecently assault, defame the character of Rukayat and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace,” he said.
According to Fatoba, the perpetrators committed the crime with the purpose to harm the victim's character by publishing photos of her on social media after she was sexually assaulted, exposing her to contempt, humiliation, and possibly damage to her reputation.
The police prosecutor objected to the bail request on these grounds, stating that "the victim is still under medical attention and that the offense is rampant in the society now."
“They have been on the run; the police have to track them before they were arrested,” Fatoba told media outlets. “There are still other two suspects that the police are looking for,” he continued.
Fatoba continued to say that if the three are granted bail, it will jeopardize the effort of the police. “There is a likelihood for them to jump bail,” he said. “It will even send a wrong signal to the member of the public.”
The three pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. Their lawyer, Najite Okobe, sought for their bail orally on the most liberal conditions.
A.O Daramola, the presiding magistrate, ruled that the accused be remanded in the Ilesha Correctional Center until August 16, 2021, and that the case be transferred to the Iragbiji Magisterial District.
