75- year- old man rapes teenage hawker in Osun

• Court remands Bishop in Warri over alleged rape • Two sentenced to death in Lagos for robbery, rape

A75- year- old man, Jacob Ayinla, has allegedly raped a 15- year- old local drink ( Pito) seller in his apartment in Odi- Olowo area of Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday evening. The suspect had lured the teenage girl into his house on the pretense that he wanted to buy the local drink. According to a source, “the girl usually hawks the drink in our area but it is unfortunate that she was deceived by the old man and raped. She lives at No. 10, Aresa area, Osogbo, with her relative who produces the Pito drink for her to hawk daily. “After the incident, she reported the issue to the police station, informing them of what Ayinla has done to her,” the source said, adding that Ayinla was arrested at about 6: 30p. m. on Wednesday. Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, Osun Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, said the victim reported the matter to Oja Oba Police Divisional headquarters. “Our men swung into action and arrested him in his house and we have taken the victim to Police Hospital for a medical test. The Commissioner of Police, Undie Adiye, has ordered a full investigation into the matter,” she said.

MEANWHILE, the Magistrates’ Court II sitting in Warri, Delta State, has remanded in prison custody a Warri- based cleric, Bishop Elijah Orhonigbe, for allegedly raping a 19- yearold girl. The court, presided over by Mrs Ejiro H. Diejomaoh, said it lacks the jurisdiction to heart he matter. The court adjourned the matter till July 24 for mention and said in the event that there was no space at the Nigeria Correctional Service in Okere, Warri, the accused should be remanded at the “A” Division Police Station. Police prosecutor, SP Vincent Orawemen, leading DSP Sunny Irabor, had in a motion with charge No. NW/ 113C/ 2020, prayed the court to remand the accused in prison custody pending the legal advice of the Delta State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice; but counsel for the accused,

Mr E. L. Umuze, had objected to the motion and prayed the court to grant him bail. Orawemen had told the court that the defendant allegedly raped the 19- yearold on May 20, inside his church. Bishop Orhonigbe is the Founder/ General Overseer of Victory Revival Fasting and Ministry in Warri, Delta State. In another development, two armed robbers cum rapists, Williams Umoh

Udoh and Ubong Lazarus, have been sentenced to death by the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, on Wednesday. In a separate judgment, Williams Udoh also bagged a 21- year prison term for rape at the scene of crime in Lag os. The convicts were earlier arraigned by the state government on an amended five- count charge dated 29th June, 2017. They pleaded not guilty for robbing the residents of Shepherd Estate, Ijegun, on August 2, 2015, while the first defendant, William Udoh raped one of the victims on her matrimonial bed.

The men were arrested by the police and arraigned for conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, which contravene the Criminal Justice Act of Lagos State.

The prosecutor, Ms Titilayo Shitta- Bey, Solicitor General/ Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, urged the court to sentence the duo accordingly having found them guilty of the charges. She explained that the testimonies of six witnesses, including the victim of the rape and armed robbery confirmed the allegations of the crime against Udoh and Lazarus. Justice Atinuke Ipaye noted that the evidence provided by the prosecutor’s witnesses was credible, compelling, and cogent. She found the two robbers guilty of the charge. “You are hereby sentenced to death on the counts of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery while the first defendant, William Udoh, is further sentenced to 21 years in prisonment for the offence of rape.”