Seyitan Babatayo formally files a criminal complaint of rape against music star D’banj

The woman Seyitan Babatayo who accused D’banj of raping her has formally filed a criminal complaint against the Nigerian music star.

Babatayo doubles down on her rape accusation against D’banj and also confirms that she was indeed arrested.

Ms Babatayo on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, first accused D’banj of raping her in a hotel room in December 2018. The accusation has been followed by a series of events which was confirmed in a statement by the accuser.

D’banj had come out to deny the accusation and demanded apology and N100m in damages while there were reports that he used the police to try and bully Babatayo.

Although she had come out to deny the accusation and being arrested, Babatayo in a statement confirmed by Stand To End Rape (S.T.E.R) a non-profit geared towards helping rape victims, doubles down on her rape accusation against D’banj and also confirms that she was indeed arrested on Tuesday, June 16 and taken to the IGP IRT office in Harold Shodipo, Ikeja where she was detained, forced to delete her accusation and made to deny being arrested.

UPDATE: Press Statement by Ms. Seyitan Babatayo pic.twitter.com/c2aLn7SqkP

— Wine and Whine (@wineandwhineng) June 23, 2020

“Yesterday, Monday the 22nd of June, 2020, I Ms Seyitan Babatayo, formally made a criminal complaint of rape by Mr Oladape Daniel Oyebanjo popularly known as a D’banj at the Gender Desk of the Nigeria Police Force Lagos Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja Lagos,” the first part of the statement reads.

Babatayo also reveals that she had tried to give a detailed account of her experience at Bar Beach Police Station in Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday, June 6. "That attempt was thwarted by an officer of the law at the said Police barracks,” she says in the statement.

Arrested

She also reveals that she was on Tuesday, June 16 arrested by four armed police officers who gained entry into her home under the pretext of delivery agents.

“I spent almost 48 hours at the Police Station, without being charged for a single crime,” she says in the statement.

“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.”

After spending a night in detention, Babatayo reveals that she was released the following day and was made to sign a gag order by the police and D’banj’s team. She also says she was made to only make social media posts that were approved by D’banj’s team

“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 also says.

Friends and activists had to track her to the location with the help of satellite mapping and she was immediately removed from the environment, according to the statement.

Babatayo also reveals that she has been harassed since then by D’banj through his team, who continue to boast that the singer ‘can buy off anyone within the justice system in Lagos’.

Babatayo also says she has enjoyed the support of well-meaning Nigerians including Mrs Akeredolu (SAN), former Attorney General of Ogun State who has put her full weight behind her and will be providing legal support.

She also expresses appreciation to the Attorney General of Lagos State for writing to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter and also the Inspector General of Police for instructing that the matter be investigated immediately.