Herbalist, one other remanded over alleged rape in Kwara
Written by Adeola Ibrahim on December 6, 2023
On Tuesday, a Magistrate court in Ilorin, Kwara State, ordered the remand of Sultan Ojuwoni Atakoro, an Ibadan-based herbalist and social media influencer, and one Olaitan Ibrahim Olalekan at the Correctional Service Centre, Oke-Kura, Ilorin, until January 17, 2024.
The Kwara State Police Command charged them before Magistrate Kolawole Aluko with alleged rape and arson.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), Atakoro serially raped and burned a 21-year-old girl, Firdaos Jimoh, in his shrine in Ibadan, Oyo State, with the help of Olalekan and one Omowunmi and her children, who are now at large.
The suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy, unlawful trial by ordeal, rape, causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous means, and attempting to commit culpable homicide, all in violation of Penal Code Sections 97, 214, 283, and 229.
Magistrate Kolawole Aluko, who also did not take the suspects’ pleas when the FIR was read to them, stated that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the charges against them.
He did, however, listen to the prosecution’s and the second defendant’s counsel’s submissions before ordering the suspects’ remand and adjourning the case until January 17, 2024, for mention.
The Magistrate stated that the charges against the suspects were not normally bailable.
According to the FIR, the matter was reported to the Area Commander, Ilorin metropolis of the Kwara State police command on 30/11/2023 at approximately 14.30 hours through a petition by one Hassan A. Gobir on behalf of Hajia Kadijat Ayinke Jimoh of No 38 Ifesowapo, Ita-Elepa, Asa Dam of Ilorin, the state capital.
According to the FIR, sometime in July 2023, the complainant entrusted her daughter, Firdaus Jimoh, who was studying fashion and design, to the suspect and Omowunmi Ahmed with the promise that they would take good care of her.
However, Omowunmi, who is now at large, informed the complainant that an unidentified person stole N800,000 in gold jewellery.
Omowunmi allegedly conspired with his three daughters to dupe the victim, Firdaus Jimoh, and led her to the Sultan Ojuwoni Atakoro shrine in Ibadan under the false pretence that they would use spiritual means to track down the person who stole the gold.
According to the FIR, Sultan Atakoro “kept a calabash in front of Firdaus Jimoh, forced her to kneel naked, poured some inflammable substance on her body, and began chanting some incantations, which resulted in her entire body being burned.”
“You also inserted an object into her private part and raped her twice while she was in pain.” Your actions resulted in serious consequences bodily harm to her through diabolical and perilous means.”
