We Hold Your Brief TOBI SONIYI

Dear Counsel, I am a single mother, with two sons who are in boarding school. I got a call while I was on a business trip to Singapore, that my house help was hospitalised. On my return four days later, she narrated to me how my driver forcefully had carnal knowledge of her while she was preparing to go to bed at 10pm.

She told me how her shouts drew the attention of our neighbours, who eventually came to her rescue. The Police were called in that same night, and my driver was arrested. But to their surprise, he was released the very next day. Of course, the driver absconded before my return. But I went to the Police with my girl, the Police informed that that she wasn’t raped. That my driver claimed that the girl is his girlfriend on whom he had been spending money, and she willingly consented to the act. My house help, in tears, denied this before the Police, and the Police said they couldn’t do anything, as they found no evidence of rape. That it was a consensual act between two willing adults. Please, advice. Princess Gold, Ajah Dear Princess, Although you didn’t state the age of your house help, rape is rape. as far as one of the parties didn’t consent to the act, it is rape.

Rape, in the common usage of the term, is the forcing of sexual relations by a man upon a woman against her will.

Also, in certain States, it is statutory rape when a male has sexual relations with a female who is under the age of consent, even if she is a voluntary and willing participant in the sexual act. In recent years, several courts have ruled that rape exists when a woman forces sexual relations upon a man against his will or, in some instances, when a female has relations with a male who is under the age of consent, even if he is a voluntary and willing participant in the sexual act. Rape also can take place between two people of the same sex. The age of consent in Nigeria is 16.

Now, my advise is that you petition the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command and tell him what has happened. The criminal must be apprehended and prosecuted, otherwise, he might take his libidinous activities elsewhere, and cause more misery to families.