Following the incidence which occurred on the Tuesday 14th May, 2024 in the evening hour of 3;500pm at 3 Elegbede street, Orile Agege, Lagos, olice have continually detained the duo of Esther Ajara Rasheed and one Rita Osareme whom were caught indulging in the act of lesbianism/ bisexualism as reported by one Mr. Felix Osareme, the husband of Mrs Rita Osareme.
VOA News Correspondent gathered that one of the culprits named rita Osareme was apprehended by the Nigerian Police Force on the day of the incidence while her partner Esther Ajara Rasheed escaped. The arrested partner has been detained and still in detention at Maximum Prison Ikoyi without trial.
According to Barrister Kingsley Okon, a human right lawyer and social justice advocate, who filed a case for breach of fundamental human right of his client, Mrs Rita Osareme, who has been in detention without trial for over 134 days as against the constitutional provisions. The lawyer, while speaking with our Correspondent, expressed worries and disappointment with the consistent refusal of the Police to present the culprit for trial in the competent court of justice.
According to him, he said, “This detention is contrary to section 35 (3)(4)(5) of 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria constitution which guarantee freedom to personal liberty that permits every offender to bail for any offence that is deemed bailable and that the alleged act of lesbianism/ bisexualism is within the provision of the above sections in pursuant to this law ”.
Our correspondent, in a bid to hear from the Police Officer in charge of the matter, Mr Umukem Okechukwu, all our efforts proved abortive as he claimed that he has been on official duty outside the state. Nevertheless, our Correspondent met with an Inspector of crime who revealed the motive for continuous detention of Mrs Rita Osareme.
In his statement he said, that the Police is still in search of the sexual partner of the culprit (Mrs Esther Ajara Rasheed) who engaged in the criminal and immoral act of lesbianism. According to him, the Police second excuse was based on the safety of Mrs Rita Osareme from public attack and jungle justice.
The Inspector of crime in his argument, affirmed that the Police has received various threat letters from the public who are still furious of the shameful act of lesbianism. He also said that, he could not guarantee the full protection of the culprit from angry community, as it is the fundamental duty of the Police to prevent the occurrence of any act of omission or commission which could lead to the disruption of public peace and order. Therefore, the Police in their discretion, maintained that one of the primary reasons for longer detention is to protect the people’s lives and properties without prejudice.
The human right lawyer, Barr. Kingsley Okon, however, insisted on the trial of the culprit, but the Police also further announced the search and arrest of Mrs Esther Ajara Rasheed, whose whereabouts is still not known to anyone as at the time of filing this report.
“It is trite law to prosecute only an individual for the act of lesbianism, as the offence cannot be committed by one individual, and so the accomplice must be found to begin a complete prosecution”. Police ensured.
Therefore, the efforts are underway by the Nigerian Police Force to find the whereabouts of Mrs Esther Ajara Rasheed and so a bounty has been placed for whoever can reveal the hidden location of the accomplice for prosecution to commence on the case.
More details in our subsequent bulletins.
