A housewife from Osun State, Mistura Ayodeji, has been docked by the police for allegedly assaulting a man who was said to have requested a sexual affair with her.
Mistura was handed a one-count assault charge at an Osogbo Magistrate's Court. Inspector Adeoye Kayode, the police prosecutor, told the court that the defendant attacked a Taiwo Sunday by tearing his cloth in public.
However, during the arraignment, the defendant informed the court that the complainant had been asking her to date him and that he had decided to make a big deal out of the fact that she had turned down his sexual advances.
The charge read, "That you Ayodeji Mistura did unlawfully assault and tear the cloth worn by one Taiwo Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 351 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II, Laws of Osun State, 2002 on January 8, 2023 at approximately 8am at Ahmadiyah Area, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District."
Sunday narrated that he had met Mistura as a result of a disagreement between her and a friend from whom he had borrowed N20,000 for a thrift. He claimed that Mistura was ignoring him when he asked her to put the thrift collection issue on the table, and he ended up tearing his shirt when she insisted on getting her attention on the matter.
Mistura stated, in support of her side of the story, that Sunday was not a part of the thrift and that the complainant was only attempting to cause trouble after she rejected his sexual advances.
"Even though we live in the same neighborhood, Sunday has been pestering me to date him, but I refused".
He had been looking for a way to attack me ever since. She stated, "That's why he got involved in the thrift issue that he wasn't involved in.
"However, defense attorney Najite Okobe urged the court to grant Mistura broad bail, noting that she was backed by trustworthy individuals.
However, the prosecutor opposed the oral bail application, citing reasons that the nominant complainant's and the Investigation Police Officer's lives could be in danger if she was granted bail.
"The defendant and her family members created a scene at the entrance of Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo, threatening that they will deal with the nominant complainant and the IPO if this matter goes to court," Adeoye stated.
The defendant refused the police's attempts to settle the dispute. We oppose the bail application because we do not wish to record any casualties. Magistrate Ajala stated that the matter shouldn't have become serious if both parties were patient enough after the defense counsel countered the prosecutor's objections.
Before the next adjourned date, the Magistrate advised both parties to try peace and see if they could come to an amicable agreement. He warned that if the issue hadn't been resolved by then, he would direct that it be heard. On February 8, Ajala instructed the police to release the defendant and inform the court of the settlement.
