A student with special needs (name withheld) on Wednesday cried out in court on sighting a school proprietor who allegedly defiled her six years ago.

The mild drama occurred at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, when the defendant, Timothy Onyiriuka, stood in the dock.

The student, who has speech impairment and learning difficulty, collapsed in the witness box upon seeing the 45-year-old Onyiriuka.

She said repeatedly that she did not want to see the suspect’s face.

Justice Abiola Soladoye had to tell the student to calm down.

The judge told the student that she had the option of coming to court on another date to give evidence.

“You can also testify as we go on; I can give you break if you need one.

“Do not be afraid; he is not coming for you; you are protected by God and the court,” the judge said.

Soladoye stood down the trial to enable the student to calm down to give evidence.

After an hour, the case was announced in court and the student, after being counselled by an official of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, came back into the courtroom to testify.

While being led in evidence by the state counsel, Mrs. Arinola Momoh-Ayokanbi, the student, now 19 years old, narrated how Onyiriuka, also a pastor, allegedly defiled her.

She said: “I know him; his name is Pastor Timothy; he slept with me. He took me to his house three times, opened his trousers, opened his pants and put his penis in my vagina.

“He came to my mummy’s house; he sat on a chair, held a cane and told me not to tell anyone.

“He said if I told anyone, he would beat me and kill me. He slept with me once in my mummy’s house.

“The name of the school is Apex School; he is our pastor and the owner of the school.”

During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. A. C. Abarah, the student said that some of the acts of defilement took place in the school proprietor’s apartment which was downstairs of a storey building.

She said that Onyiriuka was caught in the act by her mother when he defiled her in her bedroom. (New Telegraph)

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