A 16-year-old boy has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s court in Akure for allegedly raping and robbing older women in the Okitipupa council area of Ondo State.
The accused person who was charged with rape, armed robbery and conspiracy, said he had dropped out of school before becoming a “street boy.”
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He narrated to the court how he raped and robbed his victims in Sekere Camp, an area council of Ondo State.
The accused who allegedly committed the offences on November 24, 2021, around 12:30 PM claimed he worked on his father’s farm at Sekere Camp, Okitipupa.
The State Prosecutor, Oluwasegun Akeredolu told the court how the accused person and others conspired to rob and rape their victims, including one Serifat Tijani who was robbed of N15,000 by the accused, while arming himself with a dangerous weapon.
Akeredolu added that the accused person also wanted to have unlawful carnal knowledge of Tijani, but could not succeed because people later ran to the scene and rescued her.
The accused also burgled into the house of another victim, Mewo Kolawole and stole her children’s clothing, according to Akeredolu.
The accused person who was not represented by a lawyer said he wasn’t alone in the alleged crimes, but had a boss to whom he delivered the stolen items whenever he committed armed robbery.
He said he had lost his mother and two younger brothers and has since then been under his father’s care.
“I dropped out from school when I finished my JSS3 examination when my father could no longer sponsor me. I became a street boy. That was how I met one brother in our camp named Ola Igbekoyi who introduced me to armed robbery.
“I attended St Breeders primary school Lamidifa along Ode Irele Road, Ondo State. Later I was admitted into Adetola Model College, Idi Mango, Ore, in Ondo State. I left school due to financial constraints. Since then I have been involved in armed robbery,” he said.
He also mentioned an Igbekoyi as his master who taught him armed robbery.
“He sent me to rob one woman in August, which I succeeded in by forcefully collecting N3,200 from her, and raped her while I threatened her with a matchet. I gave the money to Ola Igbekoyi, he gave me N1,200 out of the money.
“In November, I went to a farm close to my house, based on the information given to me by my boss. When I got to the farm, I met the woman and greeted her, she asked if I needed money to eat and I answered her by stretching my hand with the hope of collecting the money instead of giving me the money, she took it to her heels.
“I ran after her and she fell down and got injured. She tried to collect the cutlass from me and at the same time asked what I wanted and I told her that I needed her money and she gave me N15,000. And my boss gave me N5,000 from the money.
“I was about to rape the woman when I was arrested,” narrated the accused.
He explained that his master Igbekoyi popularly known as Sheboy was an ex-convict who gave him the names of people to rob.
The accused’s offences contravene Sections 410, 390 (9), 6 (b), 1 (2) (a) and (b) 359, 411 and 2 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RIl, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The plea of the accused person was not taken.
Akeredolu urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him to prepare the required documents to arraign the accused before the proper court.
Chief Magistrate Folasade Aduroja, the court’s presiding magistrate ruled that the accused person be remanded in the juvenile home.
Aduroja adjourned the case till February 8, 2022, for the accused arraignment in a family court.
