The trial of four persons, including a cripple, Saturday Enabulale who were alleged to have on 13th March, 2013, conspired with others to rape one 22-year old graduate in Benin City has commenced at an Oredo Magistrate Court sitting in Benin City, Our Benin City Correspondent reports.
The victim said the accused persons, Saturday Enabulale (28years) Moses Okoeki (18years) Osasumwen Enina (17years) and Junior Odudu (20years) were on the fateful day at No. 9, 1st Akugbe Street, Siluko Road, Benin City, beat her up, tore her pant, dress and skirt and raped her, while the cripple, Saturday Enabulale recorded the scene with two camera phones.
The victim testified that the cripple is a boyfriend to her friend, Tracy and that the incident started when she was looking for a house to rent. Tracy allegedly called her boyfriend (1st Accused person) to tell him that the victim was looking for a house, they reached an agreement that the victim sleep in the house of the 1st accused on the night of 12, March, 2013 and leave the following morning to rent her own house.
The witness testified that she left the house that fateful morning but on her way, the other three accused persons and some boys stopped her, saying “Chief O” (the cripple) “wanted to see her in order to clear an allegation brought against her”.
She further told the court that not suspecting any foul play, she went with the boys to the house, but on getting there, the 1st Accused person alleged that she has soiled the relationship between him and Tracy by telling Tracy some lies about him.
Our Benin City Correspondent reports that the cripple ordered them to beat her, strip her naked and rape her in turns, while he used his camera phone to record the “unholy action”.
It was also alleged by the victim that after the rounds of sex surfeit from the boys, the 1st Accused gave her water to bath and gave her his own shirt to wear, stressing that she later escaped to the Textile Mill Road, Police Station where she lodged a former compliant and was thereafter taken to the Central Hospital, Benin City for treatment.
Testifying, the Police Investigation Officer told the court that she went with the victim to the scene of the crime the following day (14th March 2013) and arrested the cripple alongside the 3rd and 4th accused, while the 2nd accused person was reportedly arrested in his house.
According to the rape victim, items recovered in the cripple’s house include two camera phones with the video recording of the rape incident and they were tendered as evidence.
Having admitted the 1st accused person’s statement, effort by the Prosecuting State Council, Mrs. Evelyn Okunrobo to tender other three accused person’s statement was resisted by the Defence Council, Jude Ediale, who argued that the statements were not recorded voluntarily from them by the police.
Following the development, the trial Chief Magistrate, Peter Edo Asemota, ordered a trial-within-trial to test the veracity of the claim.
Chief Magistrate Asemota also directed the prosecution to make arrangement for the recorded video clip to be played before the court and adjoined the trial-within-trial to a later date.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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