In addition to the deceased, Ihende, a Superintendent of Police, testified in court that the defendant attempted to rape one Doctor Victoria Anieke.
On Tuesday, a witness, Goddy Ihende, told a Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square that the accused driver of the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit, Andrew Ominikoron, always raped his victims in secluded places during the resumption of the trial on the rape and murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwole.
In addition to the deceased, Ihende, a Superintendent of Police, testified in court that the defendant attempted to rape one Doctor Victoria Anieke.
He stated that the incident occurred on December 29, 2021, when Anieke, who lived in Delta State, came to visit her parents and friend, who lived in the Lagos neighborhoods of Ketu and Ikorodu, respectively.
Ihende, the seventh prosecution witness, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that the defendant’s method was to carry his victims alone and rape them in remote locations.
The witness, who was led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, stated that he took over the defendant’s case from the Department of State Services on March 7, 2022, according to PUNCH.
He stated that when the case was brought to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, the defendant told him what happened on February 26, when Oluwabamise, 22, boarded his bus.
He said, “I took the defendant to our office and asked him to narrate what exactly happened on February 26. After his narration, I asked him to write it in a statement; he said he couldn’t write it and asked us to assist him in writing the statement.
“Ominnikoron agreed to pick Bamise from Chevron Bus-Stop at 7 pm and he also said he picked up two men at two bus stops after Chevron and one of them pulled a gun on him and ordered him to drive towards Ebute-Ero. He said when they got there, they all alighted from the bus and the two men started fighting.
“He said he thought Bamise had gotten back into the bus when he drove off to their depot at 7-Up.
“I asked him why he didn’t report the case at a police station on his way back to their depot or to his boss when he got to their depot, and he said he was afraid and could not tell the company because he contravened the rule of not picking passengers after 6 pm.
“He said the next day was his off day, so he went to see his friend. As soon as I took his statement, I took him to my immediate boss, ASP Razak Oseni, and he narrated exactly what he told me before my boss.
“My investigation of the defendant revealed that he took his victims to secluded places, switched off the light inside the bus and raped his victims.
“On March 29, 2022, I travelled to Delta State and when I met Dr Anieke, I asked her how she got to know about the defendant. She said it was on the Internet and when she zoomed the picture of Bamise and the defendant, which was placed side by side, she discovered that he was the same driver that attempted to rape her.
“Before Bamise, he succeeded in raping another passenger, Maryjane, on November 25, 2021.”
According to the witness, Ominnikoron is currently facing five counts of rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder, which the Lagos State government has preferred against him.
According to the prosecution, on November 25, 2021, the defendant allegedly raped Maryjane, a 29-year-old woman.
The police witness testified in court that the defendant’s statement was videotaped.
When the prosecution sought to introduce the recorded video into evidence, the defense counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, objected to the compact disc’s admissibility.
He claimed that the defendant’s statement was not given voluntarily and asked the court to hold the trial within the trial.
After hearing both counsels’ arguments, Justice Sonaike adjourned the trial within the trial until October 31.