Checkpoint Rape: Randy Soldier Remanded In Prison Custody

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

A soldier who reportedly raped a 300-level student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akure at a checkpoint on August 3 is to be remanded in prison custody for three months pending trial, an Akure Magistrates’ Court ordered on Friday.

Sunday Awolola was remanded in prison custody despite the plea of his counsel that he was in bad health.

Awolola who is charged with rape has since been disowned by the Nigerian Army which last week ordered his dismissal and promptly handed him over to the police for prosecution.

Awolola, 32, a soldier attached to the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Akure, was alleged to have raped the female student at a military checkpoint along the Ikare Akoko-Akungba Akoko road.

The prosecutor, Mr. Adeoye Adesegun, said the accused “committed an offence contrary to Section 357 and Punishment Under Section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1 Laws of the Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.”

At the court proceeding on Friday, the prosecutor told the court that the case file had been transferred to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Ondo State Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

He also prayed the court to remand the accused person in the prison custody pending the outcome of the DPP’s legal advice on the matter.

However, the defence counsel, Mr. Kayode Ikotun asked the court to grant the accused soldier bail to enable him take care of his health challenge, pending the next adjournment date.

He pleaded that, sending the accused person to prison custody might aggravate his (Awolola) bad health condition.

However, the magistrate, Mr. Mayomi Olanipekun, granted the application of the prosecutor as he ruled that Awolola should be remanded in prison custody, while adjourning the case till November 15, 2019.

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