Alleged rape victim opens up on ordeal, says it was consensual

– An alleged rapist claimed in court that he had consensual sex with the woman – Informs that he was whisked away in a car belonging to a man dating his lover – Explains how police officers manipulated his initial statement Kenechukwu Okonkwo, a security officer accused of rape, has claimed that it was mutual consent between him and the alleged victim. The man resumed testifying on Tuesday, March 15, when he told a Lagos high court sitting in Ikeja that he did not rape the 29-year-old woman, identified as Faith, as she is now claiming.

He is accused of raping the woman on December 27, 2013, in Ketu area of Lagos state, but denies the charge. According to The Nation, the defence counsel, Worer Oduagbaka, told the court that his client informed the court presided over by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye what transpired between him and the woman, stating emphatically that it was by mutual consent. Okonkwo, who spoke in pidgin English, said: “Shortly after I met her, I lost my father and traveled home. When I came back, Faith came visiting and I told her everything that happened in the village. I also asked her to marry me because my mother had asked me to get married quickly being the only son and she accepted to marry me. “After some time, she came to my house one Sunday and told me that she is currently dating one rich man that lives in Magodo. She also told me the man promised to take care of her and her family because she told him she was a virgin. I then told her to follow her heart. “Few weeks after, Faith called me that she wanted to see me and I told her that I was at work and would close late. She kept calling me and when I eventually closed, I met her, already waiting for me at home around.” According to the accused, Faith hugged him when he returned home and they both walked to his room. She prepared noodles for him while he went to take his bath. 

He added: “When I returned, she had already removed her clothes and hung them leaving only her tight (underwear) and singlet. “We both ate the indomie she cooked, thereafter, I slot in a DVD (Love movie) and I laid on the bed. Faith later joined me on the bed and we started playing together. “Faith asked me to stop and asked me if I would marry her then I told her yes if she’s also ready. She then removed her underwear by herself and we made love. “The next day, I prepared and left for my place of work and after sometime, a man came looking for me and asked if I am Kenechukwu and I affirmed, then two policemen came and arrested me.” Okonkwo told how he was arrested and driven away in Faith’s lover’s car, saying: “He asked if I can write and I said I can’t. The policeman wrote down all I told him and read it to me and later asked me to sign on it, and I did. “The man that came to arrest me with the policemen later came and took me away to Isheri police station in Faith’s lover’s car.”

Okonkwo also revealed how he was received at Isheri police station, where he was told first hand that the initial statement he made would no longer work. “A Policeman later put me in a separate room and asked for my name after which he asked me to sign a statement he wrote for me. I asked him to read it to me but he refused and started to beat me in which he removed one of my tooth in the process,” he stated. Okonkwo said the police could not find any evidence to prove he raped her after conducting a search of his apartment as she did not raise any alarm. After the testimony, Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter till April, 13 for further hearing.