Couple in court for ‘rape of 19-year-old housemaid’

Abiodun OBA

A couple, Omolara Alashe, 36 and her husband, Ramoni Lateef, 40, appeared before an Ogudu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, on Tuesday, for allegedly assaulting and raping their 19-year-old housekeeper.

The couple, who reside in Igbonla, Ketu, Lagos State, are facing trial for alleged rape, assault, stealing and sexual assault.

The prosecutor, Insp Donjor Perezi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometime in March at their residence.

Perezi told the court that the husband, being the first defendant, had sexual intercourse with their 19-year-old housekeeper.

According to Perezi, the wife, as second defendant, usually wakes the girl up at night, strips her naked and instructs her husband to rape the victim without her consent.

“Alashe beats the victim up and penetrated her vagina with her fingers till she started bleeding. She also denied the victim of her salaries, seized her GTB ATM card as well as her sim card.

“She also converted her salaries to her own personal use,” the prosecutor told the court, adding that “the case was reported to the police, leading to their arrest.”

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Tanimola, who did not take the plea of the defendants, ordered their remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending receipt of advice of the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The case was adjourned until June 8 for mention.

The offences, Perezi said, contravened the provisions of Sections 260, 137, 287 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 260 stipulates life imprisonment, while 287 attracts three years jail term for stealing.