A Lagos State High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Rahmat Animashaun after she failed to appear in a criminal case brought by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP.
Justice Ibikunke Harrison, presiding over the matter, directed the arrest of Animashaun be arrested and produced in court on the next adjourned date, September 29, 2025, and on any subsequent dates until further notice.
Court filings indicate that the Lagos State DPP has filed a four-count charge against Animashaun, including perjury, bringing false accusation, making false statements to public officers, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The prosecution alleges that on November 4, 2022, at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, Rahmat Animashaun knowingly provided false testimony with the intent to institute judicial proceedings against one Adewale Olanrewaju Olatunji.
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Arrest of Animashaun stem from accusations
In Count 2, Animashaun is accused of bringing false accusations by allegedly causing Olatunji to be wrongly charged with defilement of a child and sexual assault by penetration in December 2022, offences under Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos.
Count 3 alleges that Animashaun made false statements to public officers of the Nigeria Police and the DPP with intent to mislead, contrary to Section 96.
Count 4, considered the most serious, charges her with attempting to pervert the course of justice, under Section 97(3). She allegedly refused to present her children for medical examination at the National Hospital, Abuja, an investigative step in the initial allegation.
Following her repeated non-appearance, the court ordered law enforcement to secure her presence. Animashaun’s last known address is The Orchard, 22B Chief Yesufu Abiodun Way, Oniru, Lagos.
Medical findings contradict initial claims
Investigations revealed that Animashaun initially filed sexual abuse complaints against her estranged husband in October 2022, citing reports from the Mirabel Centre. Mr. Olatunji was arrested by Zone 2 Police Command and detained.
However, follow-up medical examinations at the Police Cottage Hospital failed to corroborate the allegations. Specialists later recommended further assessments at the National Hospital, Abuja, but Animashaun did not present the children.
The case escalated to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, where multiple invitations were reportedly ignored. She later fled to the United States with the children. A Queens, New York court ruled in favour of Olatunji, ordering that the children be returned to Nigeria for evaluation.
On February 7, 2025, medical experts Dr. Ukpai Nwankwo Ukpai and Dr. Idris Liman examined the children at the National Hospital, Abuja, finding them healthy and showing no signs of trauma, contradicting her original claims.
The DPP concluded that Animashaun’s actions were calculated to mislead authorities and defame Olatunji. She was arrested by the FCID in March 2025 and granted bail pending arraignment.
With her failure to appear in court, the High Court has now empowered law enforcement to ensure the arrest of Rahmat Animashaun and ensure her presence at the hearing scheduled for September 29, 2025.
