A 40-year-old man, Gbenga Taiwo, has been arrested by the police for allegedly defiling his daughter.
Taiwo who lost his wife some years back, lives with his 15-year-old daughter.
It was revealed that Taiwo had been constantly molesting his daughter since she was 13. It was said that he frequently dips his fingers into her private parts.
It was stated that when Folake, could no longer bear the molestation, she had reported her father to their landlord and one of her uncles.
It was alleged that Taiwo had persisted. The constant act infuriated a neighbor who with her uncle reported at the Ipaja Police Station and Taiwo was arrested.
A Child rights group, “Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network” who are following up on the case, through its coordinator Ebenezer Omejalile, stated that Taiwo claimed to have suspected his daughter of promiscuity, he thus decided to conduct “a virginity test” on her with his finger.
Omejalile stated that “The girl said she had been constantly abused by her father since she was 13. He is about 40 years old and a retired electricity worker”.
He further stated that “Before the intervention of Folake’s uncle, the girl had gotten fed up of her father’s atrocities, she consequently reported him to the landlord and her uncle”.
“But the survivors turned a deaf ear to it and kept doing it to the extent that whenever he was on night duty, he went to the office with girl to keep having her to his satisfaction
On further interrogation Omajalile stated that “The man claimed that he saw some pictures in his daughter’s phone and suspected that she was wayward. He said he did not have sex with her but only used his finger to check if she is a virgin or not.”
Taiwo’s relations had however claimed that he had been suffering from mental illness since 2018 and was admitted at a private rehabilitation centre, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
A report tendered and signed by the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr Kayode Ojomo, indicated that Taiwo was admitted at the centre on October 1, 2018 “for complaints suggestive of a mild depressive episode”.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bala Elkana, confirmed Taiwo’s arrest.
He said, “Investigation has commenced on the case and tests will be carried out on to determine the suspect’s mental health.”
