Police arrest motorcyclist for robbing, rapping passenger in Osun

The Osun State Police Command has arrested a commercial motorcyclist, Jacob Damilare, for allegedly unlawfully having carnal knowledge of a female passenger who had engaged his services on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The victim, whose name was not disclosed, was on her way to Moro and had reportedly engaged Damilare’s services from the OAU campus at around 7:05 pm on 26th July.

However, upon reaching RCC Junction along the Ilesa/Ibadan Expressway in Ile-Ife, the motorcyclist allegedly diverted into the bush, robbed the passenger of her belongings, raped her, and shaved her pubic hair.

Responding to questions from PUNCH Metro, Damilare admitted to committing the offence, adding that the victim, a student of OAU, spoke arrogantly to him when he made romantic advances to her during the journey.

He said, “I asked her out, but she spoke rudely to me. It was because of the way she spoke to me that I diverted into the bush. I gave her two options: either to allow me to have sex with her or to give me money. She agreed that I should have sex with her.”

Parading the suspect alongside others arrested for various crimes across the state at the Command headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday, the Osun Police Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said that after committing the crime, Damilare threatened to kill the victim if she reported the incident to the authorities.

“On 26th July 2024, at about 7:05 pm, the complainant engaged the services of a commercial motorcyclist (the suspect), later identified as Damilare Jacob ‘m’, from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Campus, Ile-Ife, to Moro town.

“Upon reaching RCC Junction along the Ilesa/Ibadan Expressway, Ile-Ife, the suspect diverted into a nearby bush, where he robbed her of the following items: an iPhone XS Max valued at three hundred and twenty thousand naira (N320,000.00), a Samsung Galaxy A71 valued at one hundred and fifty thousand naira (N150,000.00), an Airtel Wi-Fi device valued at ten thousand naira (N10,000.00), and the cash sum of twenty thousand naira (N20,000.00). He then forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

“The suspect also cut her pubic hair, armpit hair, and head hair, and threatened to kill her if she reported the incident to anyone. The victim was taken to the Police Hospital, Osogbo, for assessment and treatment. The suspect was later arrested and confessed to perpetrating this heinous act. The suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation,” Opalola said.

Also paraded were three men, Mukaila Teslim, 25, Bakare Azeez, 26, and Ajibola Soliu, 24, who stole $40,000, a plasma TV, one motorcycle, and three mobile phones from the workshop of a complainant.