An Iyaganku magistrate’s court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, remanded 34-year-old Femi James for allegedly raping three sisters and one other person.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the magistrate, Adebola Adeola, did not take the suspect’s plea during what can be described as remand proceedings on Thursday.
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Rape is classified as a serious offence which falls outside the jurisdiction of a magistrate’s court in Nigeria.
Such a case only comes before a magistrate’s court at the pre-trial stage, to formalise the suspect’s detention ahead of possible prosecution at the High Court, which is the proper venue for the trial.
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Mrs Adeola, on Thursday, directed the police to return Mr James’ case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of Oyo State for legal advice.
She adjourned the case till 19 June for a report of the DPP’s advice.
The police accused Mr James of raping three sisters including a minor, B. Udomex, 17. The two other sisters are G. Udomex, 27, and J. Udomex, 28.
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Apart from the three sisters, his other alleged rape victim is V. Idowu, 28, the police said.
The police said he raped the four victims between 2017 and 2025 in the Akobo area of Ibadan.
He faces rape charges under section 358 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Section 358 of the Criminal Code Act prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of the offence of rape upon conviction.
The DPP office may call for the suspect’s prosecution at the High Court, further investigation of the case, or outright exoneration of the suspect, depending on its review of the strength of evidence submitted by the police for review.
Rape incidents
The case adds to a growing list of rape incidents in the country.
It comes after the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja ordered in April the remand of one Adeshina Adeyemi for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl twice, on 15 August 2019 and 22 February 2024.
In March, the National Human Right Commission reported a spike in the number of rape complaints it had received in February, suggesting a worrying widespread menace across the country.
PREMIUM TIMES compiled in the beginning of 2025 a list of rape cases, particularly those involving underage victims, to be looked out for in various courts in the year.
Rape offenders are rarely brought to justice. In a few instances, the offenders are only convicted after extended trials, while in other cases, prosecution fatigue leads to the abandonment or the failure to present witnesses and evidence in court resulting in the acquittal of offenders.
A notable exception was the recent conviction and sentence of Abdulhameed Ahmed, 27, to life imprisonment for raping and impregnating a 15-year-old girl. The trial lasted a record period of about a year, for a series of rape offences that the prosecution said the convicted committed between January 2022 and January 2023.
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