Police detectives in Ondo have arrested two men for allegedly raping a 65-year-old farmer, Gilbert Nnaji to coma. Sources said that the ugly incident occurred at Ajilo area in Ondo town, Ondo West council area of the state.
The suspects have been apprehended by the police and being interrogated.
Speaking with newsmen, the victim’s daughter, Alaba Nnaji, said that the father left his residence in Ondo to visit his son but did not get to his destination and also didn’t return the home the same day. The victim was later reportedly found in a coma on the following day at the residence of the suspects.
Alaba said the family members who were worried about the whereabouts of their father were surprised when police detectives came to arrest their mother for not taking care of him and leaving him to get drunk.
According to her, “On Friday, I went to church. So, when I came back, I asked for my father from my mother. She said he went to see my brother at Ajilo area around 6 pm. We waited till around 9pm, but when we didn’t see him, I called my sister to ask if my father was with her where she sells at the junction, but she said no.
“Police came to arrest my mother accusing her of leaving her husband drunk. But my mother told them that her husband doesn’t drink but only take snuff and that we have been looking for him since on Friday.
“The police said they picked him from one house where he was locked up. They said it was the neighbour who lives in the house who came to report the case.
“The neighbours told us that they raped him through his anus and two of the suspects have been arrested, but one ran away.
Speaking, a neighbour of the suspects said “When they brought the man, I challenged them and they said the man is their father and that they want to take care of him.
“So, the following day, when they did not release the man, I shouted to call the attention of others in the area.
“The suspects fought me while the neighbours went to call the police who came to rescue baba.”
One of the suspects, Boniface, who denied raping the victim, said they only took the old man to their house to rest. “When I saw baba in the mood, I did not like it as a family friend. So, I asked baba to sit in my house and when he is calm, he would go home. But baba slept off till the next day.
” I could not wake him up, as where he was living is not far from my house. I know baba’s family, but the mistake I made was not informing them.
“The alcohol I took that day affected me. That is why I didn’t know what to do at the right time. “I saw that baba’s trouser was torn. I did not rape him. But I met the second person with baba when he was dragging him on the bed.
“I don’t know whether he raped him. That person was beaten before people could rescue baba from him.
“I did not give baba anything to drink. But only me took Seaman Schnapps sachet.
Speaking on the matter, a Police officer at the Yaba Division said the matter was still under investigation. According to him “one of the suspect said the victim drank alcohol with them, but the victim is unconscious in the hospital right now we still cannot ask him any question,”
Contacted, the image maker of the state police command, Olufunmilayo Odunlami said that the matter was still under investigation.
Odunlami confirmed that two suspects have been arrested following statements made by their neighbours who saw them “gagging the old man’s throat” ” Neighbours claimed they had noise form a particular room and that when they got there, they saw two young men gagging the throat of an old man.
“The suspects told them that the old man was drunk. The police spokesperson said that the suspects would soon be charged to court after a thorough investigation of the allegation of rape. (Vanguard)
