Lagos Court acquits a man accused of raping daughter after eight years in custody

A Lagos court has discharged and acquitted Taiwo Oyelabi, who spent more than eight years in custody over allegations that he sexually assaulted his 21-year-old daughter, The Guardian reported.

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the rape charge beyond reasonable doubt.

He held that although the prosecution established that Oyelabi had sexual intercourse with his daughter, it failed to prove she did not consent.

The judge said the failure to call the alleged victim as a witness was fatal to the case. He described the police officer’s account of the daughter’s statement as hearsay. The court also rejected Oyelabi’s confessional statement, ruling that it had not been recorded according to the law.

“The evidence shows that the defendant had sexual intercourse with his daughter. It does not show that he sexually assaulted her,” the judge said.

Oshodi also raised concern over Oyelabi’s detention since April 2018. He commended Onome Akpeneye, who represented Oyelabi pro bono.