The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 32-year old Beninese fashion designer, identified simply as Jacob Joseph, for allegedly r@ping his 17-year old apprentice after allegedly forcing her to consume cups of strong alcoholic drinks.
Joseph, a father of four, allegedly committed the act around 11pm, on Monday, April 22, 2026, at his shop located within the Holy Trinity Anglican Church Shopping Complex, around the Mother and Child Hospital area in Akure, Ondo State.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Jimoh Abayomi Kazeem, confirmed the arrest of the suspect.
According to him, a complaint was lodged on April 22, 2026, by a concerned father who alleged that his 17-year old daughter was s3xually assaulted by her employer, under whom she was apprenticed.
He said upon receiving the complaint, the victim was immediately taken to the Police Clinic for medical examination and treatment, while operatives swiftly arrested the suspect in the early hours of the same day.
Kazeem added that the matter had been transferred to the Gender-Based Violence Unit of the command for further investigation and would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
“The command strongly condemns all forms of s3xual and gender-based violence and assures the public that justice will be pursued diligently in the matter,” he added.
It was gathered that the victim, whose identity has been withheld, was a new apprentice in the shop.
She was reportedly instructed by her master to return after closing hours for what he described as compulsory night duty.
The victim was said to have woken up to discover that she was alone in the shop and bleeding from her private part, after the suspect allegedly took advantage of her condition, overpowered her, and s3xually assaulted her.
The incident was said to have left the victim with emotional trauma and physical injuries.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim alleged that Joseph lured her to the shop under the pretext of night duty and forced her to consume a large quantity of alcoholic drink, which rendered her unconscious, before allegedly taking advantage of her despite her claim that she was a virgin.
“On the fateful day, we were at the shop when my boss called me into the showroom. He brought out an alcoholic wine and a glass cup and asked me to drink it,” she narrated.
“I refused because I was not used to taking such drinks, but he forced me to take it. Immediately after drinking it, I informed my fellow apprentices because I began to feel discomfort in my body.
“Later, he told me that he had informed my colleagues that we were all to return to the shop by 10:00 p.m. for compulsory night duty.
“I told my mother about it, and she said it would be better for me to go earlier so I would not have to trek alone at night. I left home around 8:00 p.m., and he had already called my mother to ask her to release me.
“When I got to the shop, I did not see any of my colleagues. I only saw the suspect, who gave me the key to the shop. I opened it and stayed there alone, thinking I had arrived too early. About ten minutes later, he entered the shop. We started watching a film on his phone while he said we should wait for the others.
“Later, he brought out another alcoholic drink called “8PM” from his fridge and forced me to take it, claiming it would keep me awake until the next morning. I took only a little of it, but I immediately became unconscious. I do not know how I ended up drinking a larger quantity.
“ I was totally weak and barely conscious. I could hardly hear what he was saying, and he kept giving me more until I vomited. I then noticed that he was touching me.
“When I woke up the next day in his house, I found myself in his house with the knowledge that he had s3xually abused me and I found blood in my pants,” she said
The parents of the victim reported the incident at the Oke-Aro Division of the Ondo State Police Command, which has led to the arrest of the suspect.