Why Kogi State Commissioner Was Charged For Alleged Rape; Faces Suspension From Office |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

For over five months, the Kogi State Government failed to disclose its Investigations on the alleged rape of former Beauty Queen, Elizabeth Oyeniyi, by Abdulmumuni Danga, the Kogi State Commissioner for Water Resources. Most people thought the case was dead.

Now, thanks to the intervention of Human Rights Group the  investigation has finally ended and the case has been charged to court.

Danga has, finally, been hauled before the court by the police for, allegedly, assaulting and raping Elizabeth.

Danga is facing the wrath of the law, five months after the event took place and three months after the Commissioner was first invited for questioning by the police.

The Commissioner has been charged on a seven-count charge including alleged rape, brutality, coercion and torture.

He is charged alongside one Success Omadivi,  and they are to be arraigned at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Judicial Division.

It would be recalled that the magazine had published that Danga was invited for questioning on June 2, 2020 at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gender Unit, Force Intelligence Bureau, FCID, Abuja, but was released after an, alleged, pressure from Governor Yahaya Bello.

In the charge sheet signed by ACP Effiong Asuquo, Esq, Prosecuting Counsel for the police, the case will be prosecuted by the police on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He was also charged for falsifying documents and threatening medical officer to forge test result.

In count one of the charges, Danga was accused of having carnal knowledge of Elizabeth Oyeniyi without her consent; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

In count two of the charges, the police said Danga with other persons now at large; in Lokoja willfully inflicted physical injury on Elizabeth by flogging her with electric cable wire.

Other charges read: “That you ABDULMUMUNI DANGA, SUCCESS OMADIVI ‘F’ with other persons now at large; on or about the 29th day of March, 2020 at Lokoja; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did coerce one Elizabeth Oyeniyi to kneel down by torturing her; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3 Of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

“That you ABDULMUMUNI DANGA, SUCCESS OMADIVI ‘F’ With other persons now at large; on or about the 29th day of March, 2020 at Lokoja; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did create or falsify a Facebook chat purporting same to be a chat between Elizabeth Onyeniyi ‘F’ and unknown person where Elizabeth Oyeniyi ‘F’ confirmed that she was not raped; and there was no test done at the hospital because the doctor was scared to issue report so that she will not lose her job; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

“That you ABDULMUMI_JNI DANGA ‘M’ with other persons now at large; on or about the 29th day of March, 2020 at Lokoja; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did falsify an audio recording purporting same to be the audio of Dr. Chinonyerem Welle, Medical Director, Police Hospital, Area 1, Garki, Abuja saying that she issued medical report for the rape and assault of Elizabeth Onyeniyi ‘F’ unlawfully; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

.“That you ABDULMUMUNI DANGA ‘M’, SUCCESS OMADIVI ‘F’ with other persons now at large; on or about the 29th day of March, 2020 at Lokoja; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did falsify an audio recording purporting same to be a lady talking to another female saying that Elizabeth Onyeniyi ‘F’ confessed to her that she was not raped by the Defendant, ABDULMUMIJNI DANGA ‘M’ but that it was Natasha that asked her to say she was raped; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7 Of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.

“That you ABDULMUMUNI DANGA ‘M’ with other persons now at large; on or about the 29th day of March, 2020 at Lokoja; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did falsify an audio recording purporting same to be the audio of Dr. Chinonyerem Welle, Medical Director, Police Hospital, Area 1, Garki, Abuja saying that she issued medical report for the rape and assault of Elizabeth Onyeniyi ‘F’ unlawfully; and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 7 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.”

The victim had, in a post on her Facebook wall, urged the Commissioner to assist his kid sister and other members of his family financially.

Elizabeth said she decided to make the Facebook post following series of complaints by the Commissioner’s sister to her. The post did not go down well with the Commissioner, who allegedly hired thugs to seize Elizabeth from her home in Lokoja, with her three-year-old son.

“On getting there, they flogged me. He flogged us himself, stripped me naked and made a video of me, threatening to post it when next I make any public comment about it,” she said.

Narrating how the Commissioner raped her, she said Danga held her captive and took her to a hotel at night where he forcefully had sex with her.

She expressed fear for her life, revealing that she and her family members were receiving threats from loyalists and thugs of the Commissioner.

It is expected that now that he had been formally charged for alleged rape, he would be suspended from office.