A 35-year-old cleaner at a new generation bank, Essien Akpan, who allegedly raped his neighbour’s wife, was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ajegunle.

The defendant, who resides at Prince Fadina Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos, is facing a one count charge of sexual assault.  

However, the victim  narrated how the incident happened, saying she had come out of her apartment at 2a.m. to pick her children’s clothes from where they were hung, as it was about to rain, when the defendant attacked her.

The victim who is a housewife said: “Before the incident, Akpan had told me he loves me and I told him that it cannot work because I am a married woman with four children. But he kept pestering me until the day he raped me”.

“I was picking my children’s clothes from the line, without knowing that he was outside, when all of a sudden he removed my rapper and started raping me from behind. I shouted for help but nobody came to my rescue.”

However, the defendant said: “On March 28, at about 11:30p.m., she called me to come and make love to her which I did and then I told her that I love her.

“She now asked me why I did not tell her earlier and I said I was afraid.”

The prosecutor, Sergeant Kokoye Olusegun, told the court that the incident occurred at about 2a.m., on March 30, at the address mentioned above.

Magistrate L. Y. Balogun charged the defendant N50, 000  for bail, with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must show evidence of livelihood and tax clearance, and then adjourned till September 17 for mention.