MADAM Bola (surname withheld) moved into a new accommodation at Sakapena, Idi-Arere area of Ibadan, Oyo State about seven months ago but she never envisaged her recent discovery that her eight-year-old daughter (names withheld) could have been having sexual intercourse. And no other person was accused of involvement than her landlord, Mr Aderemi Babatunde a.k.a Baba Sango, a Sango worshipper.
The landlord, who was initially arrested by detectives from Mapo police station, was transferred to the Department of Criminal Investigation, Iyaganku, Ibadan where he was interrogated by detectives to ascertain his culpability on the allegation against him or otherwise.
Information gathered by Crime Reports revealed that Madam Bola reported at Mapo police station on February 17, 2015 that she left her daughter with a neighbour along the street where she lived while she went to purchase some items.
To her surprise, on her return, she met her daughter at home. In response to her question on why she left the place she was asked to stay, the young girl told her mother that it was Baba Sango who called her to his shrine, pulled off her pants and inserted his finger into her private part. Not yet done, the girl further alleged that the man removed his trousers and put his manhood in her private part.
She stated further that Baba Sango used a black and white handkerchief to wipe her private part and gave the handkerchief to one man she simply called Baba Fila, who used to sell men’s cap. She disclosed that it was not the first time Baba Sango had had carnal knowledge of her, as the action had been going on for some months.
Medical examination conducted at State Hospital, Adeoyo revealed that the girl had a bruised vagina wall with her hymen broken.
But Baba Sango denied the allegation, saying the girl was too young for him to have had sex with her. He also said he had two wives and had no reason to seek pleasure from a girl whose age mates are his own children.
“I am popularly known as Baba Sango because I am a Sango worshipper. I live at Sakapena, Idi Arere in a house that belonged to my grandfather but which I inherited from my father. I have two wives and children from both. I do divination for people and attend to their problems.
“On Tuesday, February 17, 2015, I was at home when my tenant brought policemen and I was taken to Mapo police station. It was there I heard that my tenant reported that her daughter woke her up in the early hours of the day and told her that I had been having carnal knowledge of her since 2014.
“I wondered how an eight-year-old girl would say I was doing such a thing with her and no one would have noticed us and be a witness. I never did anything to the girl; her mother was my tenant,” Baba Sango said.
He went further: “In the early hours of that Tuesday, we just heard the woman beating her daughter. She collided with the door of my wife’s room, which made us wake up with a start. My wife came out to see what was happening, followed by me. When I saw that the beating was meaningless, I went back into the room, and my wife followed me shortly after. That was all I knew until I saw police in the afternoon.”
Crime Reports pointed at the victim’s consistent statement on the issue and the fact that medical report indicated that the little girl’s hymen had been broken, but Baba Sango replied that he was surprised at the tackles given him by the girl. “Whatever is hidden to man is exposed before God. Nobody can say exactly how this thing happened. I have never touched the girl. Even I had never sent her on an errands, since I have my own children. The mother just moved into my house on August 20, 2014.
“The girl confronted me with the allegation but I didn’t do anything with her. I am ready to swear over this issue,” he replied.
On the suspicion that the suspect intended to use the girl for a charm by sleeping with her, Baba Sango continued to deny the allegation, saying it was ridiculous that people would think that he was sleeping with such a young girl. Reminded that there had been similar cases in the past involving younger girls, Baba Sango insisted: “I did not do anything with this girl.”
Crime Reports learnt that the suspect had been arraigned in court and had been remanded in prison custody until the next adjournment date.
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