Osun State Government has commenced
investigation into an alleged child right abuse by the Alowa of Ilowa,
Oba Adebukola Alli, who is currently on trial over an alleged rape of a
National Youth Service Corps member (name withheld).
Several pupils from Ilowa had thronged
the Federal High Court venue of the rape trial, on Wednesday, to rally
round the embattled monarch, whom the female NYSC member accused of
raping her in March 2011.
Alli, who was arraigned last April,
pleaded not guilty to the rape charge, saying that there was mutual
consent between him and the corps member before he had sex with her.
When the case came up on Wednesday,
several pupils of public schools in Ilowa, stormed the premises of the
court, rallying support for the monarch.
But the Commissioner for Special Duties,
Mr. Ajibola Bashiru, said the state government had asked the Ministry
of Women Affairs to investigate the monarch for child right abuse.
Ajibola, a lawyer, said, “Our grouse is
that he (Alli) should not mobilise school children to the court when
they (pupils) should be in school studying.
“The principals, headmasters and
headmistresses of the schools that released their pupils will be
investigated and sanctioned if found culpable.
“We are committed to equality and rule of law; whether kabiyesi or no kabiyesi, he has no right to mobilise school children, in school uniforms, to court when they should be in school learning.
“The Rauf Aregbesola administration is a
product of the rule of law and it shall not be stampeded into the
criminal proceeding. Law enforcement agencies will be called upon to
investigate the matter.”
It will be recalled that the corps
member alleged that Alli forcefully had carnal knowledge of her when she
had a ride with him from Ilowa to Osogbo.
According to her, Alli took her to his
Osogbo residence on the fateful day on the pretext that she was going to
help him compute the names of Ilowa students being prepared for free
computer studies.
She said the monarch took her to his Osogbo residence after they left the Osun Osogbo grove, and forcibly slept with her.
The corps member said that she phoned her pastor when the monarch was trying to use force to open the door to the room.
She alleged that after the traditional ruler eventually had his way, he took a bath and changed his clothes.
Alli, who had vehemently denied raping
the lady, was remanded in prison by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court headed
by Mr. Adewunmi Makanjuola.
Several chiefs and residents of Ilowa
had stormed the state House of Assembly, where they protested against
the continued detention of the monarch despite being on bail.
Alli, who was initially put under house
arrest, had his bail revoked after he went to see his personal physician
instead of seeing doctors at the University College, Ibadan, where he
was referred to.
Doctors at the Obafemi Awolowo
University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, had referred the monarch to UCH
after he complained about an ailment.
During one of his appearances, Alli, who slumped in the magistrate court, was given first aid by his wife.
Magistrate Makanjuola, had ordered that he should be adequately taken care of in Ilesa prison.
Source The Punch
No comments:
Post a Comment