Man arraigned for abducting, raping cousin

One Gbenga Asaje, a commercial bus driver, has been arraigned over the abduction and rape of one Opeyemi Adesina, a student of Ekiti State University.

Asaje, who lives at Eminature Street off Oyemekun, Agege, abducted Adesina for 20 days, from January 21 to February 10, 2014, the charge stated.

According to the prosecutor, Corporal C. Osuji, the 28-year-old offered the victim a lift on her way back to school. He promised to help her financially and lured her to his house, where he held her hostage.

He added that the parties are distant cousins, which was why Adesina accepted the lift and agreed to go to Asaje’s house.

The accused, who pleaded not guilty, said he neither kept Adesina in his house contrary to her wish nor used any diabolic means to hold her.

He said: “I was always giving her money and taking care of her during the period she stayed in my house.”

Meanwhile, Asaje’s counsel, Mr. Gbolahan Samuel, said although the matter appears to be abduction on the face of the charge, it is a case of lovers contrary to the prosecutor’s claim of them being distant cousins.

Magistrate B. Okunsanya granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties and fixed March 31 for hearing.