1st December, 2023
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Nigerian pop star Oladapo Oyebanji, better known as D’banj, has been cleared of rape and fraud allegations by the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), respectively.
The police and the anti-graft agency gave the ‘Fall-In-Love’ crooner a clean slate in separate clearance reports upon completion of investigations with incontrovertible outcomes on the innocence of the Kokomaster singer.
In an affidavit deposed by Toheeb Lawal of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, before the District Court of Abuja, wherein the reports of the Nigeria Police Investigation and Clearance from the anti-corruption agency were exhibited and marked exhibit A and B, the legal practitioner averred that the police and ICPC cleared the singer of rape and fraud allegations.
In 2020, the singer was accused of rape and the Inspector General of Police ordered an investigation into the allegation.
In a report dated November 14, 2023, with case number CR:3000/X/FHQ/ABJ/SEB/T.1/VOL 18/284, and signed by ACP YY Abubakar of the Special Enquiry Bureau at the Force Criminal Investigations Department at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, the police said the matter was investigated but there was no evidence to substantiate the claim.
“The allegation was investigated,” the report partly read. “The complainant, witnesses and suspects made their statements. The investigation was expanded across board but there was no prima-facie evidence, adduced facts or corroborative evidence to establish the offence of rape and sexual assault against the singer.”
Also, sometime in late 2022, D’banj was wrongly accused of diversion of funds associated with the N-Power Programme of the Federal Government.
However, in a separate outcome after its investigation, the ICPC said that D’banj was not guilty of any fraud allegation.
In response to an inquiry, the Commission cleared D’banj of any infraction on the matter.
The clarification was dated November 29, 2023, with document number ICPC/OPS/SDD/SPT.LG/31/23.
“The commission investigated issues of fraud in the administration of the N-POWER Scheme where Mr Daniel Oladapo Oyebanjo’s name came up. However, there was no prima facie case of fraud against him.
“Kindly be advised that Mr Daniel Oladapo Oyebanjo is not under investigation with the Commission for any fraud-related offence,” the statement partly read.
The lawyer, in his deposition filed before the Chief District Court of the Federal Capital Territory at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, also averred that the singer was never a government official and never had any access to government funds and that the N-power campaign he supported was free and was never paid a penny by anyone or the government.