Gang Rape: LASU student and friend arrested for raping waitress

Left: Shola Owolabi, Right Tayo Adewale

The Festac Police Command two days ago paraded Olusola Owolabi, a 200-level LASU student and his friend Tayo Adewale,19, as alleged rapists.

According to the story, on Saturday Oct 1 2011, Sola lured Sandy to his house after telling her he had good news for her concerning her job search. He and his friend then threatened her with a knife and raped her. Sola then took nude photos of Sandy and threatened to put the nude photos on Facebook if Sandy told anyone about the rape. Unfazed by his threat, Sandy reported at Festac Police station. The two boys were arrested two days later

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Sandy was not subjected to the physical smear of being gang-violated for upward four hours alone; she also reportedly suffered psychological trauma as the alleged principal culprit in the act, Owolabi, allegedly took her Unclad pictures threatening to have them pasted on her social network (facebook) page if she told anyone of the incident. Sandy, who is reportedly currently out of job after being fired from the hotel she worked, claimed she knew Owolabi in the hotel she once worked as stewardess around Festac Town, Lagos. Both Owolabi and Sandy soon became friends. On several occasions, both Owolabi and Sandy exchanged telephone conversation, but unknown to the Anambra Stateborn lady, Owolabi had other plans. On that fateful day, Sandy recalled that she went on job search at Surulere are of the state and was returning home when Owolabi’s call came in.

The undergraduate reportedly asked her to see him at his house for good news he had for her. Since Owolabi had promised to be on the lookout for her for a job, the poor Sandy headed straight to a major hotel at Ago Palace Way, Okota, where Owolabi told her he was meeting with some elderly friends who could be of help to her. Sandy begins her story: “I had problem in my place of work because I did not show up, owing to my father’s illness and I was sacked and in the course of looking for a job, I went to Surulere last Friday and on my way back home, Shola called me on the phone and invited me over to Century Hotel, Ago Palace Way. I went because I needed someone to pour my heart to.” Owolabi would later changed tunes when Sandy arrived, asking her to come with him to his uncompleted apartment house not too far from the area. Owolabi reportedly prevailed on his female visitor to walk him home to allow him change his clothes.

Not sensing danger, Sandy followed Owolabi home. She continued her story: “But when I got to his house, he started delaying and before I knew it, he approached me, wanting to fondle me and but I refused. Then all of a sudden he started hitting me and dragging my cloth while his friend, Tayo started unzipping my trousers.” Sandy recalled how Adewale (Owolabi’s friend) pounced on her and pinned her hands to the ground, and Owolabi unfasten her jeans belt.

At a point, she became weak and watched helplessly as Owolabi had carnal knowledge of her against her will. Sandy denied that Owolabi ever asked her out before that incident. She maintained that she was only a friend to the undergraduate-despoiler. Her words: “He (Owolabi) started right from 3pm and ended at about 7pm nonstop. My entire plea fell on deaf ears. He even brought out a knife and threatened to kill me saying nothing would happen at the end of the day. When he was done, I could not wear my cloths because they were in shreds. He gave me his to wear home and warned me not to tell anyone threatening that if I did, he would paste my Unclad picture on Facebook for all to see. But I summoned courage and told my cousin and together we went to the hospital where I was given some medication.” Unfazed by his threats, Sandy informed the police at Festac Division and a manhunt was launched for the two rapists, while the Divisional Police Officer, Usman Ndanbabo immediately swung into action to apprehend the culprits.

Two days later, Adewale was apprehended while the, Owolabi, fled the neighbourhood to evade arrest. Barely a week after, Owolabi also landed in police net. In his statement, Owolabi confessed to his crime, but claimed his love and affection for Sandy made him forcefully have canal knowledge of her. His words: “ I am a shy person and can hardly talk to any lady. But the first day I set my eyes on Sandy, I told my friend with whom I went to the hotel that I wanted her for keeps and even begged one of the ladies with us to help collect Sandy’s telephone number and she did. Since then, I have been calling her on the phone until last Friday.

When she came around at the hotel we met before going to my house, I had taken some bottles of alcohol and an energy boost.” Owolabi also blamed his insane attitude on cold weather. He continued, “By the time she came it was drizzling and I asked her to accompany me home to change my clothes. But I did not know what got over me while in the room. I actually attempted to have fore play with her but she declined. Before I knew it, I got crazy and took advantage of her. But after I was done, I started begging her.” Asked if he used condom, he shook his head, saying, “I did it flesh to flesh.”

Also asked why he took photographs of her in her Unclad, he replied, “I just wanted to have her all to myself. I used that to at least make her always come to me” Owolabi, who claimed he regretted his action, said, “I regret everything because it has landed me in big trouble. Unfortunately, my father is not alive to bail me out of this. Please help me beg Sandy to forgive me.

Even after the incident, I begged her to forgive me.” Giving his account of the act, Adewale claimed that his friend never told him his intention for the girl. His words, “I was sleeping on the day he came home with this lady (Sandy) and he asked me to excuse them and I did. Later, he came to where I was and asked me to come and assist in stripping the lady Unclad that he wanted to Be Intimate with her but that she was adamant. I reluctantly followed him because my initial resistance resulted in his shouting at me. When I got inside, I pulled the lady’s trouser.” A police source said that the suspects would be charged to court soon.