A sixteen-year-old apprentice, Olayemi Agbeloba, has committed suicide after the husband of her boss whose name could only be confirmed as Ajibode, allegedly raped her at their residence in the Eruwa community, in the Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
After perpetrating the crime, Ajibode, who is a welder, was said to have threatened to kill the minor if she revealed what happened to anyone.
It was learnt that the minor had been learning fashion design from Ajibode’s wife and was said to have been living with her boss to also assist her with domestic chores.
Things, however, took another turn when the minor was sleeping in a room at the couple’s residence when Ajibode entered the room and allegedly raped the minor on June 23, 2023.
Angered by the development, the minor, who was said to have been traumatised by Ajibode’s action, reportedly drank a substance suspected to be insecticide and died from the toxic substance.
Agbeloba’s father, Sunday, who had been inconsolable since he got to know of the circumstances that influenced her daughter’s decision to allegedly take her life, said in a bid to get justice for his late daughter, he reported the case at the Eruwa Police Station.
He, however, lamented that the police, while investigating the case, arrested Ajibode, adding that the suspect had been boasting that justice would not prevail in the matter.
Sunday said, “Olayemi went to Ajibode’s wife’s house early this year because my wife and I decided that she should learn handiwork. She had been staying with Ajibode and his wife for about six months and suddenly, we were told that she died.
“Later, we heard Ajibode had raped my daughter after which she drank an insecticide. This was confirmed by medical workers at the hospital she was taken to for treatment after she drank the insecticide. At the hospital, we were also told that before my daughter died, she said Ajibode raped her and that was what made her drink the insecticide.
“I reported the case at the Eruwa Police Station and he was arrested and released. Since then, Ajibode has been claiming that he knows people and that there is nothing we could do to him. He raped my daughter and pushed her to commit suicide and he’s still very confident that he would go scot-free.”
Speaking amid tears, Agbeloba’s mother, Folake, while demanding justice for her daughter, said her daughter once confessed to her that Ajibode usually disturbed her while sleeping at night.
She said, “I can’t speak now because they have taken my daughter away from me. Is it a crime for someone to go and learn a trade? Ajibode raped my daughter and he and his wife are trying to hide the crime that he committed. My daughter is gone because of what Ajibode did to her.
“She once told me that her boss’s husband usually disturbed her at night when she retired to sleep in their house. I wanted to make her come back home but also wanted her to finish her apprenticeship. Look at what they did to my child?”
When our correspondent asked the aggrieved parents to supply him with Ajibode’s mobile number to call him to get his side of the story, they said they don’t have his number and provided Ajibode wife’s number to contact her for his number.
Contacted on Thursday, Ajibode’s wife declined to speak to our correspondent and refused to supply the mobile number of her husband.
She said, “I can’t speak. I am sleeping and I don’t even know you. I can’t say anything about that matter. I would rather see you before I say anything.”
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Asewale Onifeso, said, “A case of homicide was reported at the Eruwa Divisional Police Headquarters. It is also more like a case of defilement. However, investigations have been escalated. Further updates would be provided accordingly.”
