Rape can be described as any form of unwanted sexual behaviour that is imposed on someone. That is to say, rape is when someone uses their power, manipulation or
force to intimidate, humiliate, exploit, degrade or control another. It is an act that may be experienced as a
violation of the physical body, and/or on emotional, intellectual, and
spiritual levels. Hence rape is a crime.
In
Nigeria rape cases are not always reported to the police or even discussed
within the family for fear of stigmatisation or been branded wayward girl! My
dear ladies, if you are a victim of this devilish act, you need to speak out. If
you don’t, the accuse will gets away with it, he will find another victim
because he'll believe he's untouchable.
Prince Daniel Okereke, 37, (pictured above), a
cousin of former DG of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Ndi Okereke-Onyuike, and
actress Stephanie Okereke's cousin, has been arrested for allegedly raping a 22
year old UNILAG undergraduate named Arinola. And she didn't keep quiet despite
the fact that Daniel is well connected. She fought back by first destroying his
property, and then she got him arrested. She tells her story after the cut.
Please read...
"When we got to his house, I told him that I was not interested in
having sex with him, he called two of his security guards to help him to tie me
up and seal my mouth. He then brought out his belt and started flogging me,”
says Arionla, a 300 level student who alleged that she was raped by a man,
later identified as the cousin of former Director–General of the Nigerian Stock
Exchange(NSE), President, Ndi Okereke-Onyuike.
The suspect, Prince Daniel Okereke, 37, was alleged to have lured her
into his home at Mende, Maryland, Lagos, subdued her with the aid of his
security guard before he pounced on her and raped her severally.
Saturday Sun learnt that after the
several rape sessions which lasted for more than 30 minutes, Prince Daniel
ordered Arionla to pick her bags and get out of the house. Abused and bitter,
Arionla was said to have started destroying the property in his house and also
flinging same out of the compound. In the process, the car that belonged to one
of the neighbours was destroyed.
Not aware of what could have led to the fracas, the angry neighbour
alerted the police attached to Area F, Ikeja who arrested Arionla and accused
her of assault. On listening to both sides and overwhelming bruises on
Arionla’s body, a case of attempted rape was established and Prince Daniel was
arrested and later released on bail while Arinola was rushed to the Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja for examination and treatment.
Saturday Sun further gathered that
when Arinola and her family discovered that the case was as good as closed by
the police attached to Area F Command, Ikeja, she reported the matter to the
State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti that ordered his
re-arrest, having sighted the original copy of the lab test which proved that
she was forcefully defiled and the cause of the wound on her body.
Still recovering from the scars that had disfigured her beautiful body,
Arinola, 6ft tall, and who can be best described as a model, claimed that she
saw Prince Daniel as a harmless elder brother who cared about her ailing
health.
According to Arinola, 22, and a student of University of Lagos, Akoka,
she met Prince Daniel through an online dating site, early last month. “We
became friends online and I gave him my number. He kept calling requesting to
see me in school and I kept giving him one excuse or the other. He actually
said that he wanted me to be his friend and I declined that I am a student and
should be allowed to face my studies.
“On November 6, 2014, he called me that he was in my school compound. I
was sick and told him that I was about to head to the pharmacy to get drugs. He
volunteered to drive me to the pharmacy. I was impressed and grateful for such
a kind gesture. After buying the drugs, we drove to the fast food and bought
food. He asked me to join him to a seat out joint where I can relax and eat the
food. I was surprised when he drove straight to his house at Mende, Maryland.”
He said that I will be the one to the bear the shame since the world
will ask what I was doing in his house when I was supposed to be in school,”
Arinola narrated.
“When it dawned on her that the prince is a beast in sheep’s clothing,
Arionla stopped struggling and parted her legs for the Prince. “He raped me
severally till he was satisfied. He later removed the ropes and ordered me to
get out of his house. I was in pains and knew that since the law will finally
release him because of his status, I needed to destroy anything within reach.
It was the neighbours whose car was destroyed that alerted the police at Area
F, Ikeja.
“I wrote my statement and went to the hospital for examination. I was
not surprised when I was told that he was granted bail the same day. My family
had to report the matter to Panti and he was re-arrested.”
Still dressed in his royal white dress as at press time, Prince Daniel,
a businessman, who is also related to Nigerian actress, Stephanie Okereke,
blamed the devil for the act. “I am so ashamed of myself. We are family of
professionals whom you know very well. I don’t know what got into my head. I am
sorry and plead for forgiveness,” Daniel, who said he was single and still
searching, pleaded.
When asked why she destroyed the property in his house, Prince Daniel
said: “She thought I was going to force her to have sex with me. She started
destroying everything which is so expensive,” he said specifically referring to
his Chandelier lighting hanging in his living room.
When further asked if he eventually slept with her, Prince Daniel said:
“Yes, I did. I am very sorry, I need a way out.”
Confirming the story as at press time , Police Public Relations Officer,
Kenneth Nwosu said that the suspect would be charged to court for rape and
assault.
According to him, the report got from Lagos State University Teaching
Hospital, Ikeja, showed that there was actual penetration in the course of the
squabble. “He will be arraigned along side with one of the security men who
assisted the suspected to subdue Tope. Meanwhile, the police is still on the
trail of one of the security guards who also participated in assisting the man
to tie her up.”
Two men Daniel Okereke 37 and Idris Abubakar 37 were yesterday arraigned
before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court, over alleged assault and rape and
threat to life. The defendants who are businessman and a security Guard
respectively were docked before Magistrate Y. O Aje-Afunwa. They are facing a
five count charge bordering on conspiracy, assault, rape and threat to life
preferred against them by the police.
The police prosecutor Superintendent Godwin Anyanwu, told the court that
the defendants committed the alleged offence on November 6, 2014. He said that
the incident took place at Mende, Maryland in Ikeja area of Lagos state between
2:30-11pm. He said that the first defendant allegedly raped and assaulted one
lady (names withheld).
Anyanwu also claimed that the defendant unlawfully had canal knowledge of the
victim without her consent, adding that he beat her up with a brown belt and
also threatened her with a knife. According to the prosecutor, the offences
committed,contravened sections 409, 171, 261 and punishable under section 56
and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Earlier, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The
defendants counsel, R. Amokea, urged the court to grant the defendants bail in
the most liberal term, as the offence committed, was a bailable offence and
that they were still presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The prosecutor Anyanwu objected to the bail application, on the grounds that
the charges levelled against the defendants were charges of rape, sexual
assault and occasional harm. However, Magistrate Aje-Afunwa, granted the first
defendant bail in the sum of N200,000, with one responsible surety in like sum,
while the second defendant was admitted bail in the sum of N50,000, with one
surety in like sum. She also said that the surety must either be a relative, a
cleric or a community leader.
