Three charged for raping undergraduate, distributing nude pix

Babajide

Aje

The Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State,  has began hearing the case, where three men, Bashorun Babajide, 26, Aje Olumayowa, 20 and Babajide Ajayi, 21,  allegedly kidnapped and raped an undergraduate student of the University of Lagos, Miss. Tolulope Titiloye.

 Eight counts charge was leveled against them. The prosecutor claimed that the men having satisfied their sexual urge, took snapshots of their victim and posted them on the internet, which soon went viral, thus reducing the victim to shame amongst family and friends.

The three accused were arraigned for kidnap, rape, assault, battery, unlawful detention and attempted murder.

It will recalled that in June, 2013, Titiloye was detained and raped at Ajose Street, on the Lagos Island by one of the defendants, who had repeated asked her for a relationship and she had repeatedly turned down.

The rape and subsequent pictures taken and spread via internet, was later discovered by the victim’s parents after a family member living overseas saw the nude pictures on internet and alerted family members. The matter was soon reported to the police.

A family source had said, “The picture had the name and surname of the girl, her university, age, department and course of study. People were stopping her on the campus to tell her they had seen her nude pictures on the Internet.

“The girl’s relations later saw the pictures and urged her parents to report the matter at Adeniji Adele Police Division.”

Policemen from the station had subsequently arrested Babajide, a dog-breeder, the prime suspect, who in counter reaction, insisted that the girl was actually his lover.

The police told the court that Babajide, Mayowa and Ajayi also assaulted and attempted to murder their victim by attacking her with dangerous weapons.

Not done, they were said to have threatened to kill her if she revealed her ordeals to anyone.

The police said the incident occurred in April, 2013.

The charge reads in part, "That you, Bashorun Babajide, m, Aje Olumayowa, m and Babajide Ajayi, m,   on the 28th day of April 2013 at about 1930hrs at No 1, Ajose Street Lagos Island in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire to wit kidnap and rape.

"That you, Bashorun Babajide, m , Aje Olumayowa, m and Babajide Ajayi, m, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did detain one Tolulope Titilayo,f, 22yrs without her consent for the purpose of unlawful sexual intercourse.

"That you, Bashorun Babajide, m , Aje Olumayowa, m and Babajide Ajayi, m, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully take the nude photograph of one Tolulope Titiloye,f, 22yrs without her consent and posted same on the internet."

The prosecutor said the offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 409, 269, 144(1), 258, 135(2), 150(1)(2), 228, 56(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The defendants said they were not guilty of the charges.

It was reported that the complainant was not in court, having not recovered from the torture and injury she sustained in the course of the incident.

The defence counsel pleaded for the bail of the defendants in liberal terms, assuring the court that they would not jump bail.