An Ikeja Sexual Offences Court, Lagos, yesterday discharged and acquitted a 26-year-old teacher, Yusuf Quadri, accused of raping a 30-year-old female colleague (name withheld) at her residence.
Quadri was set free after the court found him not guilty of a one-count charge of rape slammed against him by the state.
The prosecution, Mrs, Fehinti Ogbemudia, said Quadri committed the alleged offence on September 24, 2017 at the complainant’s home at Ikotun Lagos.
The 30-year-old alleged victim had told the court that Quadri gave her potash and warm water to drink after the alleged rape to avoid her getting pregnant.
The woman testified that they were both colleagues (teachers) at Debby International Secondary School, Ikotun.
She said: “One Friday, sometimes in September, 2017, the defendant came to my class and told me to help him keep his bag that he had an interview that he did not want to keep it in school over the weekend.
“I took the bag home and called him on Sunday when he did not show up to claim his bag.
“He later came to my house on Sunday with one of his friends, who later left us alone, and then I asked him to help me put on the generator.
“He thereafter locked all the doors to the house, tore my pants, my wrapper and raped me. I kept screaming but nobody heard me.
“When I expressed displeasure that he had ejaculated inside me and I might become pregnant, he asked if I had potash and warm water. He asked me to take it and I did, then he left my house.
“I reported to the proprietress of the school and also at the Ikotun Police Station.”
But in his defence, Quadri told the court that he had shared a romantic relationship with the alleged victim, which included countlessly sexual exploits.
Quadri, who didn’t deny having sexual intercourse with the complainant, said they started having an affair after she claimed her marriage crashed as a result of her husband’s infidelity.
He said: “I met her when I was newly employed in the school. She was so nice to me; we became friends and she showed me round the school.
“On that day, she called me to come and help her put on her generator and I obliged. When I arrived, she served me minerals and biscuits.
“She thereafter showed me her marriage pictures which she later tore in front of me. She told me that her marriage crashed because her husband had an affair with another woman.
“She told me that her husband married her as a virgin but couldn’t satisfy her in bed. And she asked if I could satisfy her and we then had sex. She got angry that I had ejaculated inside her but I calmed her down.
“I then asked her to mix salt and potash with warm water which she had in her house, and drink it. She did and I left her house. We’ve had sexual intercourse countless times after that day.
“But one day, she heard me talking to a girl on the phone and began shouting that I lied to her of not having a girlfriend. I told her that I had a girlfriend before I met her and that she was already married.”
She then attacked me, gave me a bite on my neck and I ran away.”
However, while delivering judgement, Justice Abiola Soladoye described the matter as a case of friendship that simply went soar.
Soladoye said that the allegation against Quadri was grossly unbelievable and sorely an attempt of a lover seeking revenge on her partner.
He said: “I’ve carefully considered the evidence put before me by the prosecution, having called two witnesses (the victim and a female sergeant, Yemi Amoo) to testify against the defendant in this case.
“The evidence of PW2 (the second prosecution witness), who is a police officer and the investigation officer for this case, was merely a hearsay evidence, while the testimony of the victim (PW1) was not coherent neither was it cogent.
“Based on the evidence of both the defendant and the alleged victim, it appears there was a relationship between both parties. Even after she reported the case of rape to the police, the defendant stated that both of them still continued having sexual intercourse.
“This is simply a friendship that went soar, as long as this court is concerned. The testimony of the PW1 (the victim) is grossly unbelievable and sorely someone attempting to take revenge on a lover.”
While discharging the man, Justice Soladoye said, “I hereby find you, Yusuf Quadri, not guilty of the offence and hereby discharge and acquit you of the charge of rape”.
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