Ajani Yahaya (24) of Mapo area of Ibadan, Oyo State has been arrested for raping an underaged girl.
Instead of purchasing only the dry meat, popularly known as Tinko in Yoruba, that a 14-year-old girl (names withheld) was hawking for sale, he allegedly decided to get another service he was not offered by forcefully having unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl.
The girl, a secondary school student on holiday, was said to be living at Yemetu Adeoyo area of the city with her aunt whom she helps in hawking dry meat for sale.On getting to Mapo on the day of the incident, Crime Reports learnt that Yahaya asked the girl to bring her wares upstairs where he lived and the girl complied. But on getting to him, he allegedly used a handkerchief to cover her mouth and dragged her into his room.
According to the girl,
“I tried to shout but my voice could not get far and no one heard me. He raised my skirt and forcefully removed my underpants, after which he had his way. After he finished, he used the handkerchief to clean my private part. As I was about to leave, he started begging me and offered me N500. When I refused, he shouted and threatened me so I collected it from him.
Afraid of what might likely be the consequence of wiping her vulva region with a handkerchief, the girl reported what happened to her when she returned home, prompting her guardian to report the case at Mapo police station.
The girl however said that Yahaya was not the one who deflowered her, as she had a boyfriend called Azeez with whom she used to have sex. But she maintained that the suspect forced himself on her.
When interviewed by Crime Reports at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yahaya, an Ibadan indigene who fixes floor tiles, gave conflicting stories about what happened on that Sunday. At first, he denied seeing the girl on that particular day because he went to a party with his mother. Later, he admitted being at home. He also said he purchased dry meat from the girl but added that the girl must have told a lie against him because he did not give her the money she requested for.
“Khadijat told a lie against me that I forcefully had carnal knowledge of her. There was nothing between us apart from the fact that I used to buy dried meat from her. On that Sunday, my mother and I went out. I didn’t know what happened till the next day when police came to arrest me,” he said.
When prodded, based on his statement to the police, Yahaya changed his former narration and said:
“That Sunday evening around 6p.m., it is true that I called the girl to sell dry meat for me. Before that day, we used to relate and usually joked with ourselves.
“When I paid her, she told me that she misplaced money, and I should assist her. Unfortunately, I was broke, so I pleaded with her not to be angry, but she insisted that I should give her something. I angrily collected my change from her she also left angrily. Before God and man, I never had sex with her. I never wooed her either.”