Corps Member Rape: Court Acquits Osun Monarch

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Femi Kehinde, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, October 8th, 2013

…Says they had consensual sex

The Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Alli, the traditional ruler who was alleged of raping a Youth Corps member, Miss Helen Okpara has been discharged and acquitted by an Osun State High Court.

Justice Oyejide Falola of an Osun State High Court, Osogbo ruled that Helen failed to tender enough exhibits to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt that she was raped by Oba Alli.

The 23-year-old Helen alleged that Oba Alli forcefully had canal knowledge of her while serving at Ilowa town in Obokun Local Government area of Osun State as a corps member between 2010 and 2011.

Oba Adebukola Alli was arrested by the police and arraigned in court. The case suffered several adjournments and the trial took almost three years before Justice Falola eventually ruled on the case.

In his over one hour judgment, Justice Falola said Helen failed to show to the court the bruises on her private part as evidence that she was raped and submitted that a case of rape can only be established with such exhibits.

He cited the case of Corporal Nicholas versus the Nigerian Army and noted that there was no claim that the ex-corps member was attacked by the monarch during the process of raping her as she had claimed.

He added that from all evidences before the court, Miss Helen was well known to everybody at both the palace and the private residence of the monarch.

According to him, the Police failed to conduct proper and objective investigations into the matter and the court was able to establish that both the monarch and Helen had been having sexual relationship before a misunderstanding ensued between them.

Justice Falola frowned at the attitude of the traditional ruler, which he said had denigrated royalty by sleeping with a corps member serving in his domain.

According to him, the monarch had through his action taken royalty into the dunghill and brought disgrace to both his family and the community. he ruled

The judge, however, ruled that social and moral behaviors are not punishable under the laws of the land, and thereby declared that the monarch should be discharged and acquitted.

–By Femi Kehinde