The police are set to charge an auto spare parts dealer popularly known as Bebex to court over alleged assault on a nursing mother named Omolara James in the Papa Ajao area of Mushin, Lagos.
James last week posted a video on social media in which she made allegations of sexual assault against the businessman. She said Bebex accosted her on the road and asked how much it would cost to touch her breasts.
She said she rebuffed him and Bebex gave her a slap.
But the woman made another video in which she claimed she gave an untrue story out of anger, and that Bebex only complimented her. She added that it was Bebex’s boys that slapped her.
However, Nigerians prevailed on Lagos State Police Command to investigate the incident further, noting that James could have been coerced to recant her earlier statement following another video where policemen were interrogating her harshly.
On Tuesday, Lagos police spokesman Ben Hundeyin tweeted that the police commissioner Idowu Owohunwa met all parties in the case.
He said, “Due to multifarious interests in this matter and the need to ensure justice, @LagosPoliceNG CP Idowu Owohunwa is personally interviewing all parties in this case. @Lagosdsva, community members, landlord association, councilor representing the area, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Omolara and family, Bebex and his employees, and lawyers representing both sides are in attendance.”
He added, “CP Idowu Owohunwa, having carefully listened to all parties, has established that there are indeed cases to answer and has therefore directed that the matter be charged to court immediately.”
The CP directed the Command’s provost to investigate all police officers involved in the collection of money from James before following her to effect the arrest of the suspects and those responsible for forcing her to make the second video.
Owohunwa also relieved Mushin DPO of his duty with immediate effect.
He also directed the Command’s gender department to take over the case.
Bebex is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
