A 45-year-old tailor, identified only as Fasasi, has been arrested by police operatives for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl (names withdrawn) and even walked away with her clothes and underwear thereafter.
The sad incident happened on Shaiba Street in the Agege area of Lagos State on a fateful day when the victim, who was a Senior Secondary student, had gone on an errand for her mother.
It was gathered that on spotting her, Fasasi beckoned on her to help him buy some food and lured her to his room when she asked for a plate with which the food would be served.
On getting to his room, the suspect armed with a knife, ordered the victim to pull off her clothes and underwear before he forcefully gained carnal knowledge of her and allegedly took her clothes and underwear away.
After waiting tirelessly for Fasasi to return her clothes, the victim reportedly fled the room with one of his wrappers but was spotted by a neighbour who finally came to her rescue.
The matter was said to have been reported at the Isokoko Police Division, and Fasasi was arrested.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim revealed that Fasasi threatened to stab her to death with a knife if she raised the alarm over the incident.
She said, “It was on April 19, 2015, at about 5pm. My mother and I live on Shaiba Street in the Agege area. I had never gone to the tailor’s house before. I did not know he was a rapist.
“On the fateful day, he asked me to follow him inside his room to get the plates that I would use to buy food for him. Once I entered the room, he immediately locked the door behind him. He then brought out a knife and threatened to kill me if I did not undress.
“I begged him, but he did not listen. I was scared that he would kill me, so I obeyed. But after removing my clothes and underwear, he collected them from me, and went out with them. I asked him where he was taking them to; he said he was taking them to his shop.
“Seconds later, he returned and he raped me. I was shouting inside the room, but no one seemed to hear me. When he was done, I asked for my clothes, but he said he would not release them unless he had one more round. As soon as I saw an opportunity, I took one of his wrappers, and forced my way out of his room.
“When I got outside, I met a woman who was one of Fasasi’s neighbours. When she saw me, she understood what had happened and confronted him.”
A resident, who identified herself simply as Abiola, said, “A week after Fasasi was arrested, we saw him returning to his shop. They said he was arraigned in court, but he had been granted bail. Singede must have secured his bail as usual.”
Fasasi is yet to return the victim’s clothes and underwear which a source speculated that he must have thrown away.
The victim’s mother pleaded with the police to ensure that the suspect returned her daughter’s clothes.
She said, “I am afraid of what he might do with my daughter’s underwear. What does he want to do with her clothes? I have been worried since the day this incident happened.”
The rape incident was said to have been also reported to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, (DSVRT).
The DSVRT Coordinator, Mrs. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, told Punch that a request had been sent for the transfer of the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
She said, “It was a non-governmental organisation that brought the matter to our attention. What we then did was to refer the victim to Mirabel Centre for proper treatment. We also made a report to the police to ensure that the suspect was arrested and charged to court.
“As we speak, the DPP has requested the case file to be forwarded to it. This is a case of alleged defilement, it will be prosecuted by the DPP.”
The State Police Spokesperson, DSP Patricia Amadin, has not yet confirmed the report as at press time.
