A mother, Mrs Aramide Olupona, whose daughter was allegedly raped by a police officer has accused the Nigerian Police of deliberate stalling of the case.
The victim, a 17-year-old girl (name withheld), was allegedly raped by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, identified as Owolabi Akinlolu.
The mother said the police are stalling to enable the suspect to retire in December.
The incident reportedly occurred on June 29 at Ogudu Police Station, in Ojota, Lagos.
ASP Akinloluallegedly summoned the 17-year-old secondary school student to the station, claiming they had apprehended the suspect who had stolen her phone two weeks prior.
But the teenager told reporters that when she showed up at the police station, the senior officer reportedly invited her into his office, locked the door, and raped her.
In July, Mrs Olupona accused the police of trying to bury the case, adding that the suspect’s wife and the rest of his family had come to plead with her to drop the charges because Akinlolu would retire in December.
The suspect was, however, arrested and queried by the Lagos State Police Command, who later disclosed it had concluded its investigation into the claims against 56-year-old Akinlolu and forwarded it to the headquarters in Abuja.
But the mother while speaking on the development, accused the police of keeping mum on the case and planned to shield the suspect from a dismissal.
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She said, “Since August when they said they completed their investigation, the case has not been referred to the court. Now, I got some information from a police source that they want Owolabi to retire in December rather than be dismissed from the police force.
“They plan to have him on trial next year after his retirement so he will still be taking his pension from the force. Is this not bad? That is why they have been silent about the case for the past three months. What message are they passing to my daughter, who was defiled, or even to other perpetrators out there? It’s unfair.”
Reacting to the incident, the president of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr . Joe Odumakin, decried the sexual violence against women and girls around the world and urged Mrs . Olupona and her daughter not to give up the fight for justice.
“The alleged police officer rapist is in prison, while prosecution is ongoing. Other complicit officers have been dealt with as well. One was sacked by the force, while the other was de-ranked from a sergeant to a corporal,” she added.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
