An Ikeja High Court in Lagos, on Monday, heard how a 36-year-old bus driver, Adekunbi Samuel, fond of targeting women who rush out for work very early in morning at Ojodu Berger, robbed and almost raped a young female passenger, Elizabeth Ogbewele.
Ogbewele, who joined an empty bus heading to Victoria Island area of the metropolis, told the court that Samuel threatened her with a knife and a gun.
She also said he also attempted to rape her at the front seat of his white commercial bus.
Samuel, who was arraigned on a 4-count charge of armed robbery and rape, had earlier denied the allegation.
While being led in evidence by the prosecuting officer, Adebayo Haroun, Ogbewele, a school teacher, said the incident occurred on November 3, 2014, along Berger Expressway, Lagos.
Recounting her ordeal, Ogbewele said, “I left home at my usual early time to catch an early morning bus.
“But before I got to the bus stop, I heard the defendant, who was driving an empty bus, shouting ‘VI,’ so I immediately flagged him down. Since the vehicle had similar resemblance with the usual commercial white buses heading to VI, I jumped in.
“I had tried opening the back door, but noticed that it was locked, so the driver (Samuel), asked me to take the front seat, beside the driver’s seat. I agreed and sat close him. But when he drove past the bus stop, still screaming VI, I noticed he didn’t stop to carry other passengers.
“I worriedly asked why, the defendant claimed he was avoiding being extorted by tout boys, known as ‘Agbero’. We had only driven for a few minutes from the bus stop when he pulled out a knife and a gun. He ordered me to bring out everything I had in my purse. He immediately stopped the vehicle, parked at a corner and jumped on me.
“He tried forcing his mouth on my lips; he also pulled my underwear and tried to force himself on me.”
According to Ogbewele, when she resisted his moves, Samuel slapped her several times on the face and forcibly tried to push his manhood into her.
She further explained that when Samuel noticed that the day was getting brighter and that he couldn’t achieve his aim of raping her, he snatched her HP laptop, cash of N2, 000 and thereafter pushed her off the bus and zoomed off.
Ogbewele said, “I had to pull myself together after being manhandled. I went to work that day, even though my dress was left in a bad shape. My family, however, went to Ojodu Police Station to report the matter.”
When asked how she identified the defendant by the Defence Counsel, Anthony Owueze, during cross examination, Ogbewele said she was called by an IPO of the station to come and identify a suspect who was arrested over same complaints by other victims.
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, thereafter, adjourned the matter till January 10, 2017 for continuation of trial.
