Zoe A.E
22-Year-old Bamise was allegedly raped and murdered in a BRT on her way back from work |
The defendant Andrew Ominikoron has been charged with a five-count charge which he pleaded not guilty
The family had earlier written to the Lagos state government for permission to handle the prosecution independently
On Monday, during the last court hearing, a witness (name withheld) came to testify of her experience with the defendant still in the process of transporting via the BRT
The witness was led in by Lagos state attorney general and commissioner for justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN)
The 29 year old witness said the incident happened on the 25th of November 2021 at about 8.00 p.m. at Alesh Hotel Bus Stop, after she closed from work.
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She said that when she entered the BRT, the defendant agreed to drop her at jakande for 100 naira.
On getting to Lekki Conservation on Ajah Expressway, Ominikoron stopped the bus, brought out a medicine and drank it.
“I thought he was on medication,” she said.
She testified that the defendant then asked her to come to the front seat, which she obliged, then he started asking her some questions and requested that they should park somewhere and have some discussions, but she politely declined.
“I then noticed that his manhood was up.
“I brought out my phone to call somebody but he got up from the driver’s seat and collected my phone from me.
“He held a small knife and dragged me to the back and said I should pull off my clothes.
“We started dragging, he slapped me, held my neck and wanted to strangle me.”
She said that his words were ‘if he should kill her there, nothing would happen and nobody would know where she was’
“He pushed me down, pointed the knife at me, tore my clothes and raped me from the back,” she said.
The witness said he returned her phone and apologized when they got to the bus stop.
She said she did not report the rape case at any police station due to a bad experience she had with the police at Jakande.
The prosecution tendered in evidence, the dress the witness wore on the day the alleged rape occurred, and it was admitted in evidence as Exhibit 1.
The defendant is facing a five-count charge bordering on rape, conspiracy, sexual assault, and murder brought against him by Lagos State Government.
The government alleged that the defendant, on Nov. 25, 2021, raped a 29-year-old woman (the witness) at Lekki Conservation Centre, Lekki-Ajah Expressway.
It also alleged that, on Feb. 26, the defendant conspired with others still at large and raped and killed a 22-year-old BRT passenger, Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwole, and threw her out of a moving bus.
The defendant is also accused of sexually assaulting another 29-year-old woman ( name withheld) on Dec. 29, 2021, between Ikorodu and Mile 12 areas of Lagos State.
The prosecution said that the offences contravened Sections 165, 223, 260 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, on March 22, the defendant was first arraigned on a four-count charge.
The court has adjourned the case until Tuesday ( May 10) for the continuation of the trial. (NAN)
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