A 22-years old lady (names withheld) Monday narrated to an Ikeja High Court her ordeal in the hands of two brothers, Bright and Chijindu Nwachukwu, who raped and defrauded her of N19, 000.00.
Bright (31) and Chijindu (23) are both standing trial before Justice Josephine Oyefeso on two count charge of rape and obtaining money by false pretense.
The offence, according to the prosecutor, Mrs C.K Tunji- Carrena, are contrary to sections 135, 137 and 312 (3) of the Criminal law of Lagos state 2011.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Led in evidence by the prosecutor, the victim who is a graduate of Biology and an entrepreneur, told the court that she met the first defendant, Bright for the first time on February 12 this year at Iyana Ipaja, on her way to the University of Lagos, Akoka where she had just graduated to sort out a medical registration.
She maintained that she had never met him prior to that day.
The witness said the defendant approached her in French Language and asked her for an address of one Diamond warehouse which she also told him she does not know where it is situated.
She also noted that there was a man beside Bright who asked me to describe the place to him if I know there.
She however left the two men at the spot and checked her time after the conversation only for her to realized that she could not meet up with her appointment and decided to return home.
According to the witness, she met with the first defendant and the other man again on her way home and he asked the same question and she maintained she did not know the place.
“I wanted to be on my way but the other man that was with him pleaded with me to help him. At this point, Bright handed him some foreign currencies. He held my hand and said that we should follow him.
“At that moment, I don’t know what I was doing again, I just followed them and we crossed to the other side of the road at Iyana-Ipaja and boarded a bus towards Sango. I paid the transport fare for the three of us and we later alighted at a bus-stop which I didn’t know the name.
“We took a tricycle to another place where we met the second defendant Chijindu who disguised as a store-keeper. We entered the place and they brought out something that looks like a photo-film and washed it in a liquid and it turned into a N1000 note.
” He folded the money and asked me to take a bite and took an oath that if I tell anyone about what taking place, I would die,” she said.
” He folded the money and asked me to take a bite and took an oath that if I tell anyone about what taking place, I would die,” she said.
She further told the court that the second defendant, Chijindu told her to bring some money so that they can print more money but she did not have cash on her.
“He collected my ATM card, pin number and headed to the bank.
“While they (second defendant and storekeeper) were away, the first defendant asked me if I eat fish and I replied in the affirmative. He again reminded me that I would die as a result of the oath I had with him earlier if I tell anybody about what happened.
“I became so scared and I started crying and I pleaded with him that I don’t want to die. Bright then told me that the only option to avoid death is to have sex with me. I started begging him again not to have sex with me but he eventually had his way.
“When Chijindu came from where he had gone to withdraw the 19,000 that I had in my First bank account, he ordered me to delete the alert message sent by my bank. He also came back with another man who claimed to be a pastor.
He brought in a bucket of water and after looking through it, he said my mother has some money in her drawer and I should go home and bring the whole money. He instructed me not to talk to anyone until I accomplished the mission”.
The Witness said she caught glimpse of a sign post “Toluwalase” memorised it.
She also told the court that when she got home, she met her mother and her brother who later told her that she was acting strange and restless.
“My mother later came to me and held me , seeking to know what happened to me and I told her I don’t want to die . She was shocked and we were both crying.
My mother told me that God is the owner of my life and I came back to my senses and told her all that happened.
According to the witness, her mother later put a call through to her pastor and she was later taken to the family hospital due to the sexual assault and was later referred to St Leo hospital in Ikeja.
She also said the matter was also reported at Area G police station in Ogba from where she was referred to Mirabel Centre at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for check- up and counseling.
During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Ikenna Okoli, the witness maintained that she gave her ATM to the second defendant and money was withdrawn from her First bank account.
She also insisted that the first defendant had sex with her without her consent.
The matter was thereafter adjourned till October 10, 2017 for continuation of trial.
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