Judiciary

Unilorin Rape/Murder Case: DSS officer electrocuted me, 7th defendant tells court

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Kwara State High Court on Tuesday continued hearing in the protracted trials on the rape/murder case of Unilorin Student Miss Olajide Blessing with 7th defendant giving evidence.

The 7th defendant, Daud Bashir Adebayo, a resident of Tanke Oke Odo area of Ilorin, a self acclaimed trader and a student of the Kwara State Polytechnic was called to the witness box.

The proceeding was started at exactly 10a.m when the counsels announced their appearance in court.

Bashir his remark while narrating his ordeal since his arrest by the DSS operatives disclosed that the operative by the name Femi Babalola threatened to kill him if he refuses to cooperate with them by writing what they wanted him to write.

In his own words, “While I was in custody, an officer by the name Mr Rasheed aka Rashford came to my cell to get me, he first of all handcuffed my hands and legs before leading me to a room.

“He asked me if I can read and write and I said yes, so he handed me a pen and paper to write my bio-data and everything that I know about the matter, which I did just that.

“Few minutes after, another operative of DSS by the name Femi Babalola came into the room, he glanced through the paper I wrote, thereafter he angrily complained that I didn’t write what they wanted me to write.

“All of a sudden he landed me a slap and tore the statement I had written into pieces, he alleged that I am trying to play them.

“He later electrocuted me with a taser also known as stun gun, then he made me promise to their bidding henceforth.

“Thereafter, Mr Femi Babalola brought a new paper and asked me if I’m ready to cooperate with them or else he will kill me and nothing will happen.

“I became scared, so I started begging for my life, I promised them that I’m ready to do whatever they wanted me to, because he noted that they have killed many people like myself,so mine wouldn’t make a difference” he noted.

Bashir added that, Babalola made him write in the statement that AbdulAzeez Ismail (1st defendant) brought the stolen phone to him and he is aware that the phone was actually stolen.

Also that he facilitated the sale of the phone to Abdullateef AbdulRahman (6th defendant) and he was given the sum of two thousand Naira after the deal.

Bashir then identified the statement presented in court as the statement he was made to write under duress by the DSS officer Babalola.

Also in his remark he noted that AbdulAzeez Ismail is only a customer of his who patronizes him once in a while but they have no personal relationship.

The 7th defendant also denied knowing the 6th defendant, Abdullateef AbdulRahman, noting that the first time of meeting him was at Challenge area of Ilorin while the second was in the cell of the DSS.

The Prosecuting counsel and the Attorney General of Kwara State, Barrister Salman Jawondo, alleged that contrary to the claim made by Bashir, that he was interrogated by Mr Rasheed aka Rashford, but Bashir dismissed that the Prosecution counsel’s claim is false.

He also dismissed the entire contents of the confessional statement attributed to him, claiming that it doesn’t represent his side of the story.

Another witness was called to the stand, Dauda Ayinde, a motorcycle mechanic, who is the biological father of the 7th defendant, Bashir.

Mr Dauda narrated how the DSS officers came to their residence at Tanke Oke-Odo very late into the night to arrest his son without identifying themselves, saying that they only promised to return him home within 20 minutes.

“I didn’t know his whereabouts for like three days, after searching all around for him, I was made to understand that he was arrested and taken to the custody of DSS.

“I went to their office on the 14th of June but I was refused entry into their office by the securities, the same thing was repeated all the 3 times I was at their office, they only promised to call me when they’re ready.

“It was our lawyer, Barrister Sholagberu who was allowed to meet him that told me that the cause of the matter was a stolen phone and that they will meet in court”, he stated.

Mr Dauda said that his son, Bashir is not dealing in sale of mobile phones but admitted that he usually go to Challenge area where he usually download things on his device.

If you recall, the ongoing matter suffered a delay as it was initially slated to happen on the 20th of last month but was postponed till today.

However, in his ruling today, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice Adebayo Yusuf ordered that the matter be adjourned till 15th and 16th of November 2021 for the continuation of the hearing.

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