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.
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