Court Remands Herbalist, One Other Over Alleged Raping, Setting Ablaze Of 21- Year- Old Girl

By Babatunde Solanke

An Ibadan-based herbalist and social media influencer, Sultan Ojuwoni Atakoro and one Olaitan Ibrahim Olalekan, on Tuesday have been ordered by a magistrate court in Ilorin, Kwara State to be remanded at the Correctional Service Centre, Oke-Kura, Ilorin, till January 17, 2024.

They were charged before Magistrate Kolawole Aluko by the Kwara State Police Command for alleged rape and arson.

The Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that Atakoro serially raped and set ablaze a 21-year-old girl, Firdaos Jimoh, in his shrine, in Ibadan, Oyo State, conniving with Olalekan and one Omowunmi and her children who are now at large.

The suspects were arraigned on offences of criminal conspiracy, unlawful trial by ordeal, rape, causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous means and attempt to commit culpable homicide, contrary to Sections 97, 214, 283, and 229 of the Penal Code.

Magistrate Kolawole Aluko, who also did not take the plea of the suspects when the FIR was read to them, said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the offences for which they were charged.

He, however, listened to the submissions of the prosecution and the counsel for the second defendant after which he ordered the remand of the suspects and adjourned the case till January 17, 2024, for mention.

The Magistrate declared that the offences for which the suspects were charged were not ordinarily bailable.

According to the FIR, the matter was reported on 30/11/2023 at about 14.30 hours to the Area Commander, Ilorin metropolis of the Kwara State police command through a petition by one Hassan A. Gobir on behalf of Hajia Kadijat Ayinke Jimoh of No 38 Ifesowapo, Ita-Elepa, Asa Dam of Ilorin, the state capital.

The FIR disclosed that sometime in July 2023, the complainant entrusted her daughter named Firdaus Jimoh who was learning fashion and designing to the suspect and Omowunmi Ahmed with a promise to take good care of her.

However, in a turn of events, Omowunmi, now at large, informed the complainant that an unidentified person stole gold jewellery valued at N800,000.

Omowunmi allegedly conspired with his three daughters to deceive the victim, Firdaus Jimoh and took her to Sultan Ojuwoni Atakoro shrine at Ibadan under false pretence that they will use spiritual means to find the person who stole the gold.

The FIR further alleged that Sultan Atakoro, “kept calabash in front of Firdaus Jimoh, forced her to kneel naked, poured some inflammable substance on her body and started chanting some incantations, which led to the burning of her entire body.

“You also inserted an object into her private part and raped her twice in that painful condition. Your action caused grievous bodily hurt to her by diabolical and dangerous means.”