For many, it can only happen in a movie scene, but for Lanre Dosunmu, a 31-year-old teacher, this is more of a reality.
He was dragged to the police station for failing to marry the daughter of a man, (names withheld) he had allegedly raped her.
It appears he is still in a trance but he denied the allegation.
But he has the hurdle to cross and the matter is now before Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.
Embattled teacher testifies
On Monday, December 8, 2024, he mounted the witness box at the Special Offences Court in Lagos.
In his evidence, the suspect claimed he was asked to write a statement according to the dictates for him by the Investigating Police Officer, leading to his detention by the law enforcement officer at Ajeromi Police station.
Narrating his ordeal, the teacher with Topfield College Ajegunle, said he was arrested since August 2021 over the matter.
He had told the trial judge that he saw the alledged survivor for the first time on 18th August, 2021 but had only seen her go upstairs in the school when she said she came for lessons.
Teacher’s sibling speaks on his arrest
Lanre’s sister, Mrs. Adeniyi Shakirat, also explained how his older brother was arrested over a rape allegation.
She told the judge that the defendant was arrested on 20 August. 2021 when she got a call about her brother and immediately left work to meet him at school. where she claimed she saw a man insisting that her brother must marry his daughter.
Defendant claims statement was dictated
According to her, “The man said in his culture and tradition who ever rapes his daughter will marry her and that if he agrees to marry her, he would not have any issue with the Police.”
She claimed that upon the arrest of the defendant, her brother was asked to write a statement and when she wanted to be present during the statement taking, she and her mother who were equally present were sent out of the Police station.
Under cross-examination, the defendant told the prosecution that he was educated, could read, write and was a teacher with seven years working experience with the college but that the IPO dictated what he should write.
