Bamise Ayanwola: Witness Reveals How Others Were Raped By BRT Driver

A witness in the murder case of Bamise Ayanwola named Goddy Ihende has disclosed that the driver accused of killing her always raped his victims in secluded places.

Ihende, who is a Superintendent of Police, told a Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square that the accused, Andrew Ominikoron attempted to rape one Doctor Victoria Anieke.

According to the witness, the incident took place on December 29, 2021, when Anieke, a resident of Delta State, paid a visit to her parents and friend who reside in the Ketu and Ikorodu areas of Lagos, respectively.

Ihende stated that Ominikoron's modus operandi was carrying his unsuspecting victims alone to secluded places where he raped them.

Late Bamise 

At the hearing which resumed on Tuesday, the witness disclosed that he took over the defendant's case on March 7, 2022, from the Department of State Services (DSS).

 “I took the defendant to our office and asked him to narrate what exactly happened on February 26. After his narration, I asked him to write it in a statement; he said he couldn’t write it and asked us to assist him in writing the statement.

“Ominnikoron agreed to pick Bamise from Chevron Bus-Stop at 7 pm and he also said he picked up two men at two bus stops after Chevron and one of them pulled a gun on him and ordered him to drive towards Ebute-Ero. He said when they got there, they all alighted from the bus and the two men started fighting.

“He said he thought Bamise had gotten back into the bus when he drove off to their depot at 7-Up.

“I asked him why he didn’t report the case at a police station on his way back to their depot or to his boss when he got to their depot, and he said he was afraid and could not tell the company because he contravened the rule of not picking passengers after 6 pm.

“He said the next day was his off day, so he went to see his friend. As soon as I took his statement, I took him to my immediate boss, ASP Razak Oseni, and he narrated exactly what he told me before my boss.

“My investigation of the defendant revealed that he took his victims to secluded places, switched off the light inside the bus and raped his victims.

“On March 29, 2022, I travelled to Delta State and when I met Dr Anieke, I asked her how she got to know about the defendant. She said it was on the Internet and when she zoomed the picture of Bamise and the defendant, which was placed side by side, she discovered that he was the same driver that attempted to rape her.

“Before Bamise, he succeeded in raping another passenger, Maryjane, on November 25, 2021.”

The BRT driver Ominnikoron faces five counts of rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder, preferred against him by the Lagos State government.

Justice Sherifat Sonaike adjourned the case to October 31 after listening to the arguments of both counsels.