A 53-year-old teacher, Mrs. Folasade
Ademosu, has died in Abesan Estate, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State,
days after one of the pupils in her class was allegedly raped by the
school bus driver.
Ademosu, has died in Abesan Estate, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State,
days after one of the pupils in her class was allegedly raped by the
school bus driver.
The
four-year-old nursery two pupil of the Baptist Nursery and Primary
School, Ipaja, Bolu (pseudonym), was allegedly raped by the suspect,
identified as Yemi Adesina, inside the classroom on Thursday, September
17.
four-year-old nursery two pupil of the Baptist Nursery and Primary
School, Ipaja, Bolu (pseudonym), was allegedly raped by the suspect,
identified as Yemi Adesina, inside the classroom on Thursday, September
17.
According to Punch newspaper, angry
residents had stormed the school on Akinola Road, Oja bus stop, Ipaja,
the following day, and vandalised property, saying the school allegedly
shielded the suspect.
residents had stormed the school on Akinola Road, Oja bus stop, Ipaja,
the following day, and vandalised property, saying the school allegedly
shielded the suspect.
ADVERTISEMENT
The
mob, which caused confusion on the premises, reportedly injured
Adeshina before policemen from the Ipaja division arrested the suspect
and some of the attackers.
mob, which caused confusion on the premises, reportedly injured
Adeshina before policemen from the Ipaja division arrested the suspect
and some of the attackers.
It was learnt that in the ensuing
violence, the 53-year-old, who was said to have pre-existing medical
conditions, fell to the ground.
violence, the 53-year-old, who was said to have pre-existing medical
conditions, fell to the ground.
It was gathered that Folasade, who was
invited by the police in Ipaja, and at the State Department of Criminal
Investigation, Yaba, for questioning, slumped on September 24, in her
apartment ─ Block 68, Abesan Estate.
invited by the police in Ipaja, and at the State Department of Criminal
Investigation, Yaba, for questioning, slumped on September 24, in her
apartment ─ Block 68, Abesan Estate.
She was said to have died while being rushed to the hospital.
Our correspondent learnt that the victim,
who reportedly bled for about a week after the rape, had been withdrawn
from the school by her parents.
who reportedly bled for about a week after the rape, had been withdrawn
from the school by her parents.
It was gathered that she had been
enrolled in a new school, while the suspect had been transferred to the
SDCI, for further investigation.
enrolled in a new school, while the suspect had been transferred to the
SDCI, for further investigation.
When Punch visited the
teacher’s apartment on Wednesday, the deceased’s husband, Alhaji
Ademosu, said the protesters injured his wife, adding that the school
authorities should have rushed her to a hospital immediately after the
incident.
teacher’s apartment on Wednesday, the deceased’s husband, Alhaji
Ademosu, said the protesters injured his wife, adding that the school
authorities should have rushed her to a hospital immediately after the
incident.
He said, “Since the day of that incident,
she had been complaining about her stomach. It was not easy that a
woman of her age fell during the commotion. I expected that she would be
taken to a hospital, and not a police station.
she had been complaining about her stomach. It was not easy that a
woman of her age fell during the commotion. I expected that she would be
taken to a hospital, and not a police station.
“On Sallah day, she kept on complaining
about her body. She might have sustained some internal injuries. While
the Sallah festivities went on, she just slumped and that was it. We
rushed her to the hospital, but she died on the way.”
about her body. She might have sustained some internal injuries. While
the Sallah festivities went on, she just slumped and that was it. We
rushed her to the hospital, but she died on the way.”
The pupil’s grandmother, Mrs. T. Ajose,
told our correspondent that the school authorities allegedly refused to
give her attention the following day when she went to report Bolu’s
rape.
told our correspondent that the school authorities allegedly refused to
give her attention the following day when she went to report Bolu’s
rape.
She said, “The girl turned four years on
September 9; she had been attending the school since she was a year and
six months old. It was when I went to pick her on that day that I
observed that she looked moody. When I asked her what the matter was,
she simply told me, ‘Grandma, I don’t want to go to that school again’. I
did not understand what was going on.
September 9; she had been attending the school since she was a year and
six months old. It was when I went to pick her on that day that I
observed that she looked moody. When I asked her what the matter was,
she simply told me, ‘Grandma, I don’t want to go to that school again’. I
did not understand what was going on.
“Later, when we got to the church, she
said she wanted to excrete, and I observed that her faeces were stained
with blood. I initially thought she had an infection, and cleaned her
up, giving her a new pant. She was still moody; she would not eat and
drink. Minutes later, her pant was soaked with blood again.
said she wanted to excrete, and I observed that her faeces were stained
with blood. I initially thought she had an infection, and cleaned her
up, giving her a new pant. She was still moody; she would not eat and
drink. Minutes later, her pant was soaked with blood again.
“That was when I raised the alarm and
people in the church gathered round the two of us. We persuaded her to
explain to us what happened. She said, ‘It was Uncle Yemi. He said I
should not tell anybody. He put me on the table. And he covered my eyes
and mouth. He put something in my bum bum.’ The following day when I got to the school, none of the teachers paid attention.”
people in the church gathered round the two of us. We persuaded her to
explain to us what happened. She said, ‘It was Uncle Yemi. He said I
should not tell anybody. He put me on the table. And he covered my eyes
and mouth. He put something in my bum bum.’ The following day when I got to the school, none of the teachers paid attention.”
The grandma added that when policemen
came to the school for interrogation, the girl insisted that it was
Adesina who allegedly raped her.
came to the school for interrogation, the girl insisted that it was
Adesina who allegedly raped her.
She said, “After I reported the matter to
the police, the Divisional Police Officer accompanied us to the school.
He ordered all the male workers in the school to form a queue, and he
interrogated the girl. She pointed at Yemi (Adesina) immediately. The
DPO did that four times, and she pointed at the same person.
the police, the Divisional Police Officer accompanied us to the school.
He ordered all the male workers in the school to form a queue, and he
interrogated the girl. She pointed at Yemi (Adesina) immediately. The
DPO did that four times, and she pointed at the same person.
“So the driver was arrested and detained
at the station, but he kept claiming that he had not even seen the girl
before. He said she lied against him. The police said the matter would
be charged to court last Monday. As it is, we have taken Bolu to another
school. She cannot continue to endure the trauma.”
at the station, but he kept claiming that he had not even seen the girl
before. He said she lied against him. The police said the matter would
be charged to court last Monday. As it is, we have taken Bolu to another
school. She cannot continue to endure the trauma.”
Our correspondent learnt from a resident
that it was Adesina’s alleged denial of the rape that infuriated the mob
which attacked the school.
that it was Adesina’s alleged denial of the rape that infuriated the mob
which attacked the school.