A herbalist, Samson Ogundele, accused of raping his 17-year-old client, has been arrested by men of the Ogun State Police Command.
The suspect, residing at Referefu area of Oja Odan, was alleged to have had an unlawful carnal knowledge of the young girl (name withheld) who came to his house on consultation.
The allegation was contained in a release, AZ:5310/OGS/PRO/VOL.7/137.31/07/2022, by the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, today.
As stated in the release, the herbalist was arrested after the victim, who is a hairdressing apprentice, had lodged a report of the rape incident at the Oja Odan Divisional Police Headquarters.
The victim told the police that a sum One Thousand Naira (N1,000) got missing in their shop and this made her and eight other colleague-apprentices to consult the herbalist so as to find out who stole the money.
The rape victim said the herbalist was calling them into his consulting room one after the other, adding that he had a carnal knowledge of her when it was her turn.
The 17-year-old girl initially concealed the fact that she was raped by the herbalist, having been threatened that she would die if she informs anybody about the incident.
“On getting to the herbalist, he started calling them into a room one after the other after collecting the sum of N700:00 from them.
“The complainant stated further that the first and second persons entered and came out, and when it was her turn, she entered and the herbalist tried to rape her.
“Upon her complaint, the DPO Oja Odan Division, CSP Gabriel Ikechukwu, detailed his detectives to go after the suspect and he was arrested.
“It was while interrogating him that one of the girls, who is 17 years old, confessed that the herbalist had already had carnal knowledge of her when she met him at the consulting room.
“She stated further that the herbalist threatened that she will died if she inform anybody,” DSP Oyeyemi stated in the release.
He said the victim was immediately taken to General Hospital Oja Odan where the Doctor on duty confirmed that the girl has been defiled, adding that the herbalist had confessed to the commission of the crime.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Lanre Bankole, has directed that the suspect be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and diligent prosecution.
