Rape victim threatens suicide in Osun if family agrees to out-of-court settlement

Clement Adeyi, Osogbo

 A rape victim (name withheld) has threatened to commit suicide if her family agrees on an out-of-court settlement with the accused who allegedly raped her.

She insisted on getting justice in court instead of an out-of-court settlement.

The terms of settlement being mooted by the victim’s family are that the accused should admit that he committed the crime, apologise to the victim and her family, pay the victim’s medical bills and recant the reports of his denials on the social that he raped the girl.

The accused, Abeeblahi Abdulrahman, 38, who is an Arabic teacher, had allegedly raped the 16-year-old girl in April, 2019, and was consequently arraigned in court where the case has been pending.

During the proceeding at an Osun Magistrate Court sitting in Ede on Friday, the counsel to the accused, Rasheed Olufowobi, told the court that out-of-court settlement terms had been worked out by the victim’s family and the accused and prayed the court to adjourn the case for the final report of the settlement terms or definite hearing.

The counsel to the victim, Barrister Rasheed Olufowobi, however, disclosed that the complainant, Oloyede Muideen,

(the victim’s family’s representative) had tabled the terms of out-of-court settlement when the victim’s family was approached by the defence counsel, but  the accused disagreed with them.

Also, the complainant told newsmen that the accused and his supporters had been going around to brainwash the elders in the victim’s family to disregard the settlement terms.

He, however, insisted on getting justice for the victim, in spite of any influence from any quarters.

The complainant also explained that the meeting that brought about the said settlement terms was held without the knowledge of the victim’s counsel.

He added that even the victim’s brother was not allowed to make any comment at the meeting as he was slapped twice when he stood up to talk.

The judge, A.A Olowolagba, adjourned the case till August 24 for an out-of-court settlement or definite hearing.