A 43-year-old hotelier, Femi Kulajolu, has been
arrested by the police attached to the Isokoko division, Lagos State, for
allegedly raping his younger brother’s 15-year-old daughter, Lola (pseudonym).
It was gathered that the minor was eight-month
pregnant as a result of the alleged rape.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Kulajolu, who runs
Christopher Hotels on Agor Road in the Isolo area of the state, was also being
investigated for an attempted rape of his stepdaughter, Titi (not real name).
Titi’s experience was said to have prompted her
mother, Ndidi, to report the two cases to the police, who arrested Kulajolu and
arraigned him before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court.
The father of six was said to have raped Lola on
three occasions at the hotel and her mother’s house on Majekodunmi Street,
Meiran, while the mother was not at home, threatening her that she would die if
she reveal the secret.
Our correspondent gathered that Lola had offended
his father sometime in June 2015 and fled to the uncle’s hotel for the fear of
being beaten. He was said to have given her a room in the hotel where she
passed the night. In the midnight, he reportedly sneaked into the room and
forcefully had sex with her.
She said, “I offended my father and fled home
because he wanted to beat me. I went to my uncle’s hotel and slept there that
night. While I was sleeping, he came in and raped me. He warned me not to tell
anybody and threatened that if I did, he would kill me.”
Lola told the police that a few months after the
encounter, her sister fell ill and her mother went to look after her at a
hospital she was admitted, adding that Kulajolu came to their house and raped
her again.
“My ailing sister was hospitalised and my mother was
staying with her at a hospital. He (Kulajolu) came to pass the night in our
house. In the night, he came to my room, covered my mouth and raped me again.
He threatened me that he would kill me if I told anybody. He slept with me
three times. I am now eight months pregnant,” she said.
Our correspondent learnt that Lola eventually opened
up after much pressure on who was responsible for the pregnancy.
Kulajolu’s wife, Ndidi, said her husband was about
raping 14-year-old Titi when he was caught.
Titi said, “Somebody came inside my room, switched
off the light and slept on me. I woke up and discovered that the person had
removed his clothes. I raised the alarm and everybody woke up and started
searching the house to know the person. My sister noticed that somebody was
hiding behind the cotton in the living room. We opened it and found my
stepfather there. I broke into tears. When my mother asked him why he attempted
to rape me, he started behaving as if he was drunk.”
However, the suspect denied raping his niece, adding
that he was not responsible for the pregnancy.
He said, “After the death of my brother, around
November 2015, her (Lola’s) stepmother came to me and told me that she was
pregnant. She said the family of the boy responsible for her pregnancy had come
and they had discussed. I did not rape her and was not responsible for the
pregnancy.”
Kulajolu was subsequently arraigned on Thursday
before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court on two counts bordering on rape and sexual
assault.
The charges read in part, “That you, Femi Kulajolu,
sometime in year 2015, on Dele Kulajolu Street, Lagos State, in the Apapa
Magisterial District, did defile one Lola, thereby committing an offence
punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria,
2011.”
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected
summary trial.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Adegite, granted
him bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned
till March 17, 2016.
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