Beninese fashion designer arrested for allegedly drugging, raping 16-year-old apprentice
Rape
BY ADETOKUNBO ABIOLA
A 32-year-old Beninese fashion designer, identified simply as Jacob Joseph, has been arrested for allegedly drugging and raping his 16-year-old apprentice.
The Ondo State Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi Kazeem, confirmed the arrest of the suspect, saying Joseph, a father of four, allegedly committed the act around 11pm, on Monday, April 22, 2026, at his shop located within the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Shopping Complex, around the Mother and Child Hospital area in Akure, Ondo State.
The Daily Monitor gathered that the suspect instructed the victim to return after closing hours for what he described as compulsory night duty, only for the victim to discover that none of her other colleagues were around.
Within ten minutes of her arrival, her master entered the shop, brought out an alcoholic drink called “8PM” from his fridge and forced her to take it, claiming it would keep the victim awake until the next morning.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld, consumed a large quantity of the alcoholic drink, which rendered her unconscious.
When she woke up the next day, she found that her master taken advantage of her, despite her claim that she was a virgin, and defiled her, as she found blood in her pants.
The Daily Monitor gathered that the incident left the victim with emotional trauma and physical injuries, forcing her parents to report the incident at the Oke-Aro Division of the Ondo State Police Command, which led to the arrest of the suspect.
Reacting to the incident on Sunday, Kazeem, said upon receiving the complaint, the victim was immediately taken to the Police Clinic for medical examination and treatment, while operatives swiftly arrested the suspect.
Kazeem added that the matter had been transferred to the Gender-Based Violence Unit of the command for further investigation and would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
“The command strongly condemns all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and assures the public that justice will be pursued diligently in the matter,” he said.
