Politicians arrested over gang rape
LAGOS Five members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were arrested on suspicion of gang-raping a teenage girl. The 17-year-old was abducted and raped ten days ago in Ilesa, Osun state, after she refused to testify against an opposition party at an election tribunal, it was reported.
Hundreds of petitions are being heard across the country to resolve disputes arising from elections held in April that were so badly rigged they were deemed not credible by international observers. The Action Congress Party, which has challenged the election result in Osun that gave victory to the sitting Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said that the rape was part of a plan to muzzle opposition in the state. “The girl’s only offence is that she was present when a PDP chieftain was committing an electoral fraud in Ilesa during the April election,” a spokesman for the party said.
Fraud and violence – mostly by the PDP – were so widespread in the election that the main observer group called the vote a charade.
A police spokesman said that the five suspects, all PDP members, would be charged soon. Four other suspects are on the run. (Reuters)
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