15th May, 2012
A Lagos businessman has landed himself in trouble after his salesgirl, a 14-year old girl revealed to him that she was a virgin and he allegedly ended up raping her after several attempts to have sex with her failed.
He is now facing trial for alleged rape and assault on the teenager at a family court in Ikeja, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The Delta State-born father of two kids, Mathew Odie, allegedly lured the victim (names withheld) he employed as sales girl in a hotel and forcefully deflowered her.
The incident happened at a popular hotel in Igando, in the outskirts of Lagos.
The act was blown open when the victim raised the alarm in the charlet and the hotel management forced the door of the chalet open and saw the girl bleeding.
The hotel staff held Odie and handed him over to the police at Igando division.
The victim told the police that she had just finished her WASCE and was awaiting her JAMB results to enter into tertiary institution.
She said she decided to work as a sales girl to keep herself busy until her result was out.
She claimed that her problem started when Odie discovered that she was a virgin and he started wooing her and wanted to have sex with her.
On the day the incident happened, he reportedly told her to accompany him to his customer to buy goods not knowing that he had a hidden agenda.
He took her to the hotel and locked the door of the chalet and demanded sex from her, she further revealed.
According to the victim, when she refused, he grabbed her by the neck, tore her pant and threw her on a bed and forcefully penetrated her.
As a result of the alleged rape, the victim had serious tear and was bleeding profusely.
She struggled and screamed which attracted the hotel management who forced the door open to rescue her.
Odie was handed over to the police who arraigned him on a two-count charge of assault and rape. He pleaded not guilty.
The presiding judge, Mrs A. A. Oshonoji granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
The matter was adjourned till 28 May, 2012 for hearing.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe