‘I Did Not Rape or Kill Oluwabamise Ayanwole’ – BRT Driver

The Bus Rapid Transit driver, Andrew Ominikoron, who is on trial for the alleged rape and murder of 22-year-old fashion designer Oluwabamise Ayanwole, opened his defense on Thursday.

Ominikoron, testifying before the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square, denied raping or killing Oluwabamise. He stated that he became a bus captain for the BRT in September 2021.

The defense witness narrated to Justice Sherifat Sonaike that on February 26, 2022, he was on an afternoon shift that he began at 1 p.m., with a route from Oshodi to Ajah.

He mentioned making a round trip and returning to Ajah around 7 to 8 p.m. Unable to continue working, he admitted to illegally picking up passengers on his way back to Oshodi, a practice he and his colleagues referred to as “Korokpe.”

Ominikoron is facing charges of rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

According to the charges, the incident occurred on February 26, 2022, near the Conservation Centre along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway around 7 p.m. The prosecution alleges that Ominikoron forcibly had sexual intercourse with Oluwabamise Ayanwole before murdering her, contravening Sections 411, 223, 260, and 165 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Ominikoron has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial was previously adjourned on June 24 due to a leg injury Ominikoron sustained in prison. An official from the Ikoyi Correctional Centre informed the court that Ominikoron fell in the bathroom on June 23, injuring his left leg, which resulted in his absence from court.

During the resumed hearing on Thursday, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, noted that the case had been stalled since November of the previous year and stated that the day’s proceedings were for the defense to open its case.

The judge ordered the defense to proceed. Ominikoron, led by his counsel Abayomi Omotubora, testified that he had picked up the late Oluwabamise at Chevron and three male passengers at Agungi.

Ominikoron recounted that one of the male passengers approached him, seemingly to pay for a fare, but then threw something at his head and displayed a gun, demanding his cooperation.

He explained that when picking up passengers illegally, they typically instruct them to sit in the back to avoid detection by BRT officials.

He followed the instructions of the man who told him to divert his route and to put his vehicle in neutral. Ominikoron further clarified that while the interior light of the bus was on, it was dim enough to avoid detection from outside.

He stated, “The light that was on was sufficient for those in the bus to see but not bright enough for those outside to see the bus.”

Omotubora then called for the audio recording of Oluwabamise, which was played in open court.

He asked Ominikoron if he was aware that Oluwabamise was recording or sending voice notes. Ominikoron responded that he was not aware, stating that he first heard the recording when it was played for him at the Panti Police Station after he had made his statement, but he didn’t understand it due to a language barrier.

Ominikoron claimed that in the Osborne area, one of the men pointed a gun at him and forced him to comply. He added that when they stopped, Oluwabamise was screaming for help as she was being dragged away, but he felt powerless to assist because a gun was aimed at him.

After the men left the bus, he searched for Oluwabamise at the back but could not find her. He then returned to his seat and drove off, eventually parking his bus at the Tollgate/7-Up terminal. He went home and remained there throughout Sunday.

On his way to work on Monday, still in shock, he was called to return to Oshodi.

Upon arrival, he heard that one of his passengers was missing. Ominikoron testified that he later called a friend, Mr. Hope, to discuss a problem with his landlord and mentioned wanting to stay in Ogun State for a while.

When asked if he had ever slept with anyone on his bus, Ominikoron denied it, claiming that the male passengers were the ones who raped Oluwabamise and dragged her out. He expressed his shock and inability to discuss the events that occurred on Monday.

“While on my way to work, I was called to the head office in Oshodi to meet Mr. Ola. When I arrived, I was instructed not to drive out but to wait.

Some of my colleagues accused me of doing ‘Korokpe’ despite my denials. They then told me that one of my passengers was missing. After hearing this, I found a way to leave the depot because I feared that the rumor had reached the office.

I remembered my MD’s warning that he wouldn’t spend N1 million to chase someone for even N100, so I ran away because picking up passengers illegally is akin to stealing,” he explained.

When asked about a certain MaryJane, he acknowledged knowing her but denied ever raping her. He mentioned that while they were in a relationship, they had never been intimate. He claimed that the last time they met, he sent her N3,000 for her sick child but began avoiding her because she frequently asked for money during their meetings.

“After giving her the money that day, I started avoiding her and did not answer her calls. I don’t understand where she got those ideas from,” he stated.

He was also questioned about an alleged attempted rape of a doctor (name withheld) on December 29, 2021, in Ikorodu, to which he denied any knowledge of her or being in Ikorodu that day.

The case was adjourned until October 21, 2024, for the continuation of the defendant’s examination in chief.