The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old Beninese fashion designer, Jacob Joseph, for allegedly defiling his 16-year-old apprentice. The suspect, a father of four, is accused of forcing the teenager to consume alcoholic beverages before sexually assaulting her at his shop in Akure, the state capital.
Details of the Incident
The incident reportedly occurred on April 22, 2026, at Joseph's shop located within the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Shopping Complex, near the Mother and Child Hospital axis. According to the victim, the suspect instructed her to report for night duty, a request she obliged, which later led to the alleged assault.
The victim recounted that on the fateful day, her boss called her into the showroom and brought out an alcoholic wine and a glass cup. He asked her to drink it, but she refused because she was not accustomed to such drinks. However, he forced her to take it. Immediately after drinking, she informed her fellow apprentices because she began to feel discomfort in her body.
Later, the suspect told her that he had informed her colleagues that they were all to return to the shop by 10:00 p.m. for compulsory night duty. She informed her mother about it, and her mother suggested she go earlier to avoid walking alone at night. She left home around 8:00 p.m., and the suspect had already called her mother to ask her to release her.
When she arrived at the shop, none of her colleagues were present. The suspect gave her the key, and she opened the shop and waited alone, thinking she had arrived too early. About ten minutes later, the suspect entered. They began watching a film on his phone while he said they should wait for the others.
He then brought out another alcoholic drink from his fridge and forced her to take it, claiming it would keep her awake until the next morning. She took only a little but immediately became unconscious. She does not know how she ended up drinking a larger quantity. She was totally weak and barely conscious, could hardly hear what he was saying, and he kept giving her more until she vomited. She then noticed that he was touching her.
When she woke up the next day in his house, she found herself there with the knowledge that he had sexually abused her, and she found blood in her pants.
Family Reaction and Police Response
The victim's family emphasized that the incident left her with emotional trauma and physical injuries. Her parents reported the incident at the Oke-Aro Police Division, which subsequently led to the arrest of the suspect.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed that the victim's father had lodged a complaint that her daughter was sexually assaulted by her employer. Upon receiving the complaint, the victim was immediately taken to the police clinic for medical examination and treatment, while operatives swiftly arrested the suspect.
