Court Reserves Judgment on Rape of Ex-NYSC Member

An Osun State High Court has reserved judgment in the allegation of rape levelled by a female National Youth Service Corps member, Miss Helen Okpara, against a monarch, the Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Adebukola Alli.
Justice Oyejide Falola, who noted that the case of alleged rape had generated so much media attention, said at the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday that he had been inundated with calls over the case.
He said, “For two reasons, I will not give a date of judgment because almost a day to the earlier judgment, the media were awash with the story of the case, and people started calling my lines and disturbing me.
“Therefore, this case is adjourned indefinitely for judgment and the date is to be communicated to the parties through hearing notice.”
Counsel for the monarch, Mr. Taofeeq Tewogbade, at the last hearing of the case, applied for extension of time for defence.
But a senior state counsel, Mr M.O Adedokun, urged the court to deliver its judgement, stressing that the call by the defence for extension of time was needless.
Adedokun, who noted that the case had undergone a series of adjournments, called for a quick dispensation of justice in the matter.
The state counsel said, “The attitude of the defence counsel is an attempt to frustrate the judgment,” urging the court to dismiss the application for time extension in the interest of justice and fairness.
Okpara, while serving as NYSC members in the domain of the monarch in 2011, accused the traditional ruler of forcefully having carnal knowledge of her.
Debunking the allegation, the ruler said Okpara was his lover, with whom he had had sex before the allegation came up.