The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old Beninese fashion designer, identified as Jacob Joseph, for allegedly raping his 17-year-old apprentice after forcing her to consume cups of strong alcoholic drinks.
Incident Details
Joseph, a father of four, allegedly committed the act around 11 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2026, at his shop located within the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Shopping Complex, near the Mother and Child Hospital area in Akure, Ondo State.
Police Confirmation
The command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi Kazeem, confirmed the arrest. According to him, a complaint was lodged on April 22, 2026, by a concerned father who alleged that his 17-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by her employer. Upon receiving the complaint, the victim was taken to the Police Clinic for medical examination and treatment, while operatives swiftly arrested the suspect in the early hours of the same day.
Kazeem added that the matter has been transferred to the Gender-Based Violence Unit of the command for further investigation and will be charged to court upon completion.
Victim's Ordeal
The victim, whose identity has been withheld, was a new apprentice in the shop. She was reportedly instructed by her master to return after closing hours for what he described as compulsory night duty. The victim said she woke up to discover that she was alone in the shop and bleeding from her private part, after the suspect allegedly took advantage of her condition, overpowered her, and sexually assaulted her. The incident left her with emotional trauma and physical injuries.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim alleged that Joseph lured her to the shop under the pretext of night duty and forced her to consume a large quantity of alcoholic drink, which rendered her unconscious, before allegedly taking advantage of her despite her claim that she was a virgin.
Victim's Statement
“On the fateful day, we were at the shop when my boss called me into the showroom. He brought out an alcoholic wine and a glass cup and asked me to drink it,” she narrated. “I refused because I was not used to taking such drinks, but he forced me to take it. Immediately after drinking it, I informed my fellow apprentices because I began to feel discomfort in my body.
“Later, he told me that he had informed my colleagues that we were all to return to the shop by 10:00 p.m. for compulsory night duty. I told my mother about it, and she said it would be better for me to go earlier so I would not have to trek alone at night. I left home around 8:00 p.m., and he had already called my mother to ask her to release me.
“When I got to the shop, I did not see any of my colleagues. I only saw the suspect, who gave me the key to the shop. I opened it and stayed there alone, thinking I had arrived too early. About ten minutes later, he entered the shop. We started watching a film on his phone while he said we should wait for the others.
“Later, he brought out another alcoholic drink called ‘8PM’ from his fridge and forced me to take it, claiming it would keep me awake until the next morning. I took only a little of it, but I immediately became unconscious. I do not know how I ended up drinking a larger quantity. I was totally weak and barely conscious. I could hardly hear what he was saying, and he kept giving me more until I vomited. I then noticed that he was touching me.
“When I woke up the next day in his house, I found myself in his house with the knowledge that he had sexually abused me and I found blood in my pants,” she said.
Arrest and Investigation
The parents of the victim reported the incident at the Oke-Aro Division of the Ondo State Police Command, which led to the arrest of the suspect. The command strongly condemns all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and assures the public that justice will be pursued diligently.
