The Alowa of Ilowa in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Adebukola Alli who is currently standing trial before an Osogbo High Court over alleged rape of a 23-year-old corps member, Miss Helen Okpara, yesterday, asked the court to compel Miss Okpara to show her private Bombom to the court to confirm her allegation that she sustained injuries after making love withher.
At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Jide Falola, Oba Alli who spoke through his counsel, Mr. Taofeek Tewogbade during his cross-examination demanded thatMiss Okpara should show the bruised part of her private part to the court for confirmationof her earlier claim.
He said the victim should either show her private Bombom at the court room or rather go into the judge’s chamber to show it to the judge and the prosecution.
The victim was annoyed by the demand of the monarch’s counsel as she started shedding tears in the witness box.
It took the efforts of the principal state counsel, Mr. Biodun Badiora to calm her down.
However, the prosecuting counsel objected the demand of the defence counsel.
Badiora said: “My lord, all what my learned friend was saying is tantamount to investigation and aimed at annoying my witness. By Section 228 of the Evidence Act, the court shall forbid any question, which appears to the court to insult or annoy the witness. It is for the doctor to examine and police to investigate. So, I don’t know the reason why the counsel is asking her to show her private part to the court.
But the monarch’s counsel informed the court that it was a misconception on the partof the prosecution, adding that the demand was not to insult the victim but to verify her claim that his client bruised her private part.
The presiding judge, Justice Falola overruled the monarch’s demand, saying, “the questionwas raised for her to exhibit her n*d*ty yesterday (Monday) and she answered you that she can’t. You can ask another question that won’t provoke her passion. She has no picture of it and she cannot exhibit her private Bombom to the court or in the chambers,”Falola told the defence counsel.
The monarch also alleged that he gave the ex-corps member the sum of N20,000 out of the N50,000 she demanded for in order for her not to raise any scandal after the s*xual interc**rse but Miss Okpara denied the allegation, saying, “I never asked him for anymoney and he never gave me any money.”
The victim further said: “Oba Alli threw a bundle of N200 notes to me but I didn’t know the actual amount and I rejected it. He then took the money inside his room and came out nak*d and started caressing me before he eventually r*p*d me.”
The case was, however, adjourned till May 2 for defence.
