Lady who accused D’banj of rape files criminal complaint

Seyitan Babatayo, a Twitter user, who claimed to have been raped by Oladapo ‘D’banj’ Oyebanjo, Nigeria singer, has filed a criminal complaint to the police.

In a statement confirmed by Stand To End Rape (STER), an organisation geared towards helping rape victims, the lady maintained her stance on the allegation against the musician. She also confirmed that she was indeed arrested last week as widely speculated.

Babatayo said she filed the complaint at the gender desk of the Lagos police command headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to her, the development comes after her initial attempt to report the incident at Bar Beach Police Station in Victoria Island was thwarted by a police officer.

“Yesterday, Monday the 22nd of June, 2020, I, Seyitan Babatayo formally made a criminal complaint of rape by Mr Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo popularly known as D’banj at the gender desk of the Nigeria Police Force Lagos Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja Lagos,” the statement read.

PRESS STATEMENT: Ms Seyitan Babatayo on her criminal complaint of rape against Mr Oladapo Daniel Oyebanji and the timeline of events since she shared her experience. pic.twitter.com/NB9qqUhdKP

— S.T.E.R Initiative (@StandtoEndRape) June 24, 2020

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“This comes after trying unsuccessfully in the past to give a detailed account of my experience at Bar Beach Police Station, Victoria Island on the June 6, 2020. That attempt was thwarted by an officer of the law at the said police barracks.”

The lady lamented the backlash she has been receiving from several quarters since she took to social media to speak about the incident on June 3.

She said such attack was indicative of the ordeals rape survivors go through in the country whenever they eventually muster the courage to speak up.

Babatayo said she was arrested on June 16, by four police officers who gained entrance into their house by disguising as delivery agents and whisked her to the IGP IRT office in Harold Shodipo, Ikeja.

She also alleged maltreatment by the police officers while at the cell, noting that she was “detained like a criminal” and denied her fundamental human rights.

“I spent almost 48 hours at the Police Station, without being charged for a single crime. When I requested to know the reason for the police detention, the police refused to answer, but they continued to treat me like a criminal,” the statement read.

The lady added that D’banj and his team had “coerced” her into deleting her earlier tweets where she made the allegation on Twitter.

“18th June 2020: I was isolated from my family, coerced, pressured and intimidated in person by D’Banj and his team to retract all statements and to announce that my testimony was a publicity stunt,” she wrote.

Providing a timeline of events, Babatayo said the ‘Fall In Love’ crooner barged into her hotel room on December 30, 2018 and molested her sexually.

“D’banj gained access into my hotel room at past midnight while I was asleep. He violated and raped me,” the statement added.

She went on to thank the STER as well as several Nigerians who have been supporting her so far.

Babatayo’s criminal complaint comes after the singer also filed a suit against her, demanding among other things the sum of N100 million as compensation and a public apology.

D’Banj has also stated that he’s innocent of the rape allegation against him until he is proven guilty.