A social worker, Mrs Rasheedat Sanusi, on Wednesday told an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court how a `bishop’, Felix Okon, allegedly defiled his 16-year-old daughter and another minor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sanusi testified at the commencement of Okon’s trial on a two-count charge of defilement.
Led in evidence by state counsel, Mr Peter Owolabani, Sanusi said that she had served Lagos State Government for 20 years as a social worker.
According to her, she is currently serving at the state’s Education District One, Agege.
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The social worker said that Okon’s daughter told her that Okon had been having sexual intercourse with her since August 2019 when she was on a long vacation from school.
The witness also testified that the defendant ran a church at his residence.
She told the court that the other underage, also allegedly defiled by Okon, was a daughter of a member of the church, who also resided in the premises.
“She said it started on a particular night her father called her into his room and gave her a hot drink. After some minutes, he gave her blood tonic.
“She said she became weak thereafter, and he told her to lie down on his bed.
“She said she slept off, and at midnight, she noticed that her father was having sex with her.
“She said she wanted to scream and she could not push him off her. After that, he told her to go and sleep on a mat in the bedroom,” Sanusi said.
The witness testified that Okon’s daughter told her that later, when her father switched on the bedroom light, she noticed that the other minor, aged 14, was on her father’s bed.
“On their way to school, the daughter asked the other girl what she was doing on her father’s bed, and she revealed to her that her father had been sexually assaulting her since May 2018.
“The sexual abuse continued until January 2020 when the case was reported to their school counsellor,” the witness said.
She said that the school counsellor also reported the case to her office on Jan. 30, 2020.
“A case of sexual abuse was reported at the Education District One, Agege, Lagos, by the survivor’s school counsellor, who told our office that two girls in her school were sexually abused by Bishop Felix Okon,” she said.
The social worker said that immediately she received the report, she visited the school, interviewed the girls separately and made a report to the Gowon Estate Police Station.
She said that the defendant was consequently arrested.
Sanusi said the case was transferred to the Gender Unit of the Ikeja Police Command.
Defence counsel, Mr A. C. Maduemezia, during cross-examination of the witness, however, told the court that her evidence was hearsay.
“My lord, what she has told the court is hearsay. She is just saying what she was told,” he said.
Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case until May 9 for continuation of trial.
NAN reports that Okon is facing a two-count charge of defilement, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
According to prosecution, Okon defiled his daughter and the 14-year-old, at his residence on Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Lagos State. (NAN)