The Bus Fast Transit driver, Andrew Ominikoron, standing trial for allegedly raping and murdering 22-year-old clothier, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, on Thursday, opened his defence.
Ominikoron, who testified in his defence earlier than the Lagos State Excessive Courtroom in Tafawa Balewa Sq., advised the court docket that he didn’t rape nor kill Oluwabamise.
He testified that he grew to become a bus captain of the BRT in September 2021.
The defence witness narrated to Justice Sherifat Sonaike that on February 26, 2022, he was on a day shift, which he resumed by 1 pm, and his route was from Oshodi to Ajah.
He stated he made a spherical journey and went on the second journey again to Ajah, saying that it was already round 7 to eight pm. He stated he couldn’t proceed working however determined to illegally decide passengers whereas going again to Oshodi, a time period he and his colleague name Korokpe.
The defendant is standing trial bordering on rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and homicide introduced towards him by the Lagos State Authorities.
Based on the fees, the incident occurred on February 26, 2022, round 7 pm, close to the Conservation Centre, Lekki-Ajah Expressway, Lagos.
The prosecution alleged that Ominikoron forcibly had sexual activity with Oluwabamise Ayanwole earlier than murdering her.
The alleged offences, they are saying, contravened Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Felony Regulation of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant pleaded not responsible to the fees towards him.
On the final adjourned date on June 24, the trial was stalled as a result of defendant’s leg harm sustained in jail.
An official from the Ikoyi Correctional Centre knowledgeable the court docket that Ominikoron fell within the rest room on Sunday, June 23, 2024, injuring his left leg, which prompted his absence in court docket.
On the resumed listening to of the case on Thursday, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, advised the court docket that the case had been stalled since November final 12 months after which advised the court docket that the enterprise of the day was for the defence to open its case.
The decide due to this fact ordered the defence to open its case. Ominikoron, who was led in his defence witness by his counsel, Abayomi Omotubora, advised the court docket that he picked the late Bamishe at Chevron, and three male passengers at Agungi.
Based on him, one of many male passengers was coming ahead, and he thought it was to pay him, then the passenger threw one thing at his head and confirmed him a gun, asking him to cooperate.
The defendant defined that once they decide up passengers illegally, they normally inform them to sit down on the again in order that officers of the BRT providers on monitoring wouldn’t see them within the bus and sanction the drivers.
He stated he adopted the directions of the person who requested him to divert his route and advised him to place his automobile on impartial.
The defendant additional defined that the sunshine contained in the bus was on but it surely was the dim gentle since he was avoiding being caught for choosing passengers.
He stated,” The sunshine that was on was sufficient for these within the bus to see, however wasn’t vivid sufficient for these exterior to see the bus.”
Omotubora then referred to as for the audio recording of Bamishe, which was performed within the open court docket.
He then requested Ominikoron if he was conscious that the late Bamishe was recording or sending voice notes, and he stated he wasn’t, that the primary time he heard it was when it was performed to him on the Panti Police Station after he had made his assertion, however he didn’t perceive it due to the language barrier.
The defendant advised the court docket that he didn’t know the three males he picked up at Agungi as he had by no means seen them earlier than and wouldn’t be capable to establish them.
He stated that in Panti, he was severely tortured and the police requested him to only agree with something they stated.
Ominikoron stated, “I used to be introduced out and questioned each 15 to twenty minutes and so they regularly took my statements.
“I couldn’t write my statements as a result of torture, so two to 3 individuals questioned me whereas the author sat in entrance and wrote down my response.”
Omotuba then requested for Reveals 10a, b, 11, and 12. Exhibit 10 was considered one of his earlier statements that was learn.
Within the assertion, he stated she sat behind him, and he was telling her that he favored her, however later requested her to go to the again to keep away from the LSBS officers from arresting him, and she or he went to the second to the final seat.
He stated this occurred earlier than he picked the three males.
Ominikoron stated that on the Osborne space, one of many guys pointed a gun at him and diverted him.
He added that once they stopped, Bamishe was screaming for assist whereas she was being dragged however he couldn’t assist as a result of a gun was pointed at him.
Ominikoron stated later, the lads got here down from the bus, then he went to the again to search for her, however when he couldn’t discover her, saying that he went again to his seat and drove off till he packed his bus on the toll-gate/7-Up terminal.
He stated he went house and was house all through the subsequent day, being Sunday. Including that on his option to work on Monday, nonetheless in shock, he was referred to as to get to Oshodi.
He stated on getting there, he heard that considered one of his passengers was lacking. Ominikoron advised the court docket that he later referred to as considered one of his mates, Mr Hope, and advised him he had an issue along with his landlord and in his workplace so he wanted to debate it with him.
He stated he went to Ogun State to satisfy his good friend and advised him he needed to remain there for some time.
When requested if he slept with anybody on his bus, he stated he didn’t try this and that the male passengers raped Bamishe and dragged her out.
He stated he was shocked, so he couldn’t inform anybody what occurred whereas explaining what occurred on Monday.
“Whereas nonetheless on my option to work, I used to be referred to as to the top workplace in Oshodi to satisfy Mr Ola. On getting there, I used to be advised to not drive out, however wait.
“Then a few of my colleagues had been now saying that I did ‘Korokpe’, after saying I didn’t try this, they now stated considered one of my passengers is lacking.
“After listening to this, I now discovered a option to go away the depot as a result of I used to be afraid that the hearsay had received to the workplace and I remembered that my MD had regularly advised us that he couldn’t use N1m to chase somebody even when it was N100. So, I ran away as a result of selecting individuals illegally is the same as stealing,” he stated.
When requested if he knew a sure MaryJane or raped her on November 25, 2021, he stated he knew her however didn’t rape her.
He stated although they had been in a relationship, he had by no means been intimate together with her.
He claimed that the final time they met, he despatched her N3,000 for her sick youngster and began avoiding her as a result of she was at all times demanding cash from him anytime they met.
“After giving her the cash on that day, I averted her and didn’t decide up her calls. So, I don’t perceive nor know the place she received her concepts from,” he stated.
He was additionally requested if he tried to rape Physician (title withheld) and exchanged cellphone numbers on December 29, 2021, in Ikorodu; he denied figuring out her nor going to Ikorodu on that day.
Nonetheless, the case was adjourned until October 21, 2024, for the continuation of the defendant’s examination in chief.