A community leader in Kwara State who goes by the title, Ojoko of Odo Owa in Oke-Ero LGA, Chief Bunmi Popoola, has been arraigned for raping and killing two women.
According to the first information report (FIR), the chief committed the offences in 2015.
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The charge sheet noted that the matter was reported to the police through a petition on by the Oloota of Odo Owa, Oba Joshua Adegbuyi Oluwatoba.
The monarch according to the report, said one Gbemisola Ajayi accused the defendant of sexual harassment in 2015 under the guise of assisting her when she served as an apprentice to his wife.
The report reads in part: “Chief Popoola had carnal knowledge of her without her consent and thereafter used a white handkerchief to clean her private part for spiritual purpose and threatened her not disclose what transpired between them to anybody or else she will run mad or lose her life. She later died.
“Similarly, one Ajoke Bamidele also reported that Chief Popoola forcefully had sexual intercourse with her and used a white handkerchief to clean her private part under the guise of assisting her spiritually.
“Ajoke later became ill, and while on the verge of losing her life, Chief Popoola, who claims to be a herbalist, after admitting to both crimes in the presence of chiefs in the palace and family relations, promised to cure her.
“After spending two days at Chief Popoola’s residence, Ajoke died and the occurrence angered the youths of the community who set his house ablaze.”
The prosecutor, Zacchaeus Folorunsho, told the court that Chief Popoola had confessed that he gave Gbemisola a black soap to boost business and also gave her N5,000 as transport fare to Lagos State.
Folorunsho said, “Following the two incidents, Chief Popoola was given an indefinite suspension as the Ojoko of Odo Owa.”
He then urged the remand of the accused to allow time for the police to complete their investigation.
The magistrate, however, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 and adjourned the case to April 25.
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