Driver jailed for 15 years for raping employer's daughter

A Lagos driver identified as Francis Apai has bagged a 15-year jail term for raping his employer’s 17-year-old daughter.

In a trial held at an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Justice Sherifat Solebo sentenced Apai after finding him guilty of a one-count charge of sexual assault by penetration.

“The defendant, Francis Apai, is hereby sentenced to 15 years imprisonment without an option of fine,” the judge said.

The victim, name withheld, told the court that Apai threatened to harm her if she refused to accede to his sexual demands.

She said that when she put up a resistance, the driver dragged her to a bedroom in her home where he continually punched, strangled and raped her.

The Prosecutor, Ms Iyabode Oshodi, had told the court that the driver, who resides at No. 129, Aina Street, Isheri, Lagos, committed the offence on Nov. 19, 2014, at the complainant’s home in Lagos.

During the trial, five witnesses, including the complainant, her father and a medical doctor, testified for the prosecution, while Apai testified solely in his own defence.

Apai denied raping his employer’s daughter, claiming that the complainant had, through three phone calls, invited him to her home.

Apai said that when he got to his employer’s house, the complainant made a meal for him and while he was eating the meal, she showed him some photos and videos she had downloaded on her new mobile phone.

“While I was done with the food, she told me to take a proper look at the photos she had downloaded. While I was looking at the photos and films, I got to a part where I saw XXX, which were porn videos.

“When I decided to look at one of the porn videos, she snatched the phone playfully that she did not want me to see the videos.

“After a while, someone opened the kitchen door and I left through the front door. Because that day was a work-free day for me, I went back to my house and later the day, I went to a viewing centre,” he said.

Apai told the court that while he was at the viewing centre, he was informed by another driver that he was accused of rape and was arrested on Nov. 20, 2014 by a group of youths.

(NAN)