BRT Driver opens defense in trial for rape, murder of Oluwabamise Ayanwole

Andrew Ominikoron, the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver accused of raping and murdering 22-year-old fashion designer Oluwabamise Ayanwole, opened his defense on Thursday at the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square.

Ominikoron, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, conspiracy, felony, sexual assault, and murder, denied any involvement in Ayanwole’s death.

Testifying before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, Ominikoron recounted his work schedule, stating that he became a bus captain in September 2021 and was on an afternoon shift on February 26, 2022. He explained that after completing his regular route from Oshodi to Ajah, he illegally picked up passengers—referred to as “Korokpe”—while returning to Oshodi around 7 to 8 PM.

The prosecution alleges that Ominikoron forcibly had sexual intercourse with Ayanwole near the Conservation Centre on the Lekki-Ajah Expressway before murdering her, claims that he vehemently denies.

During his testimony, Ominikoron described how he picked up three male passengers after collecting Ayanwole at Chevron. He claimed that one of the male passengers threatened him with a gun, forcing him to divert his route and follow their instructions, which included putting the bus in neutral.

Ominikoron said, “I was brought out and questioned every 15 to 20 minutes and they continually took my statements.

“I could not write my statements due to the torture, so two to three people questioned me while the writer sat in front and wrote down my response.”

Omotuba then asked for Exhibits 10a, b, 11, and 12. Exhibit 10 was one of his previous statements that was read.

In the statement, he said she sat behind him, and he was telling her that he liked her, but later asked her to go to the back to avoid the LSBS officers from arresting him, and she went to the second to the last seat.

He said this happened before he picked the three men.

Ominikoron said that at the Osborne area, one of the guys pointed a gun at him and diverted him.

He added that when they stopped, Bamishe was screaming for help while she was being dragged but he couldn’t help because a gun was pointed at him.

Ominikoron said later, the men came down from the bus, then he went to the back to look for her, but when he couldn’t find her, saying that he went back to his seat and drove off until he packed his bus at the toll-gate/7-Up terminal.

He said he went home and was home throughout the next day, being Sunday. Adding that on his way to work on Monday, still in shock, he was called to get to Oshodi.

He said on getting there, he heard that one of his passengers was missing. Ominikoron told the court that he later called one of his friends, Mr Hope, and told him he had a problem with his landlord and in his office so he needed to discuss it with him.

He said he went to Ogun State to meet his friend and told him he wanted to stay there for a while.

When asked if he slept with anyone on his bus, he said he didn’t do that and that the male passengers raped Bamishe and dragged her out.

He said he was shocked, so he couldn’t tell anyone what happened while explaining what happened on Monday.

“While still on my way to work, I was called to the head office in Oshodi to meet Mr Ola. On getting there, I was told not to drive out, but wait.

“Then some of my colleagues were now saying that I did ‘Korokpe’, after saying I didn’t do that, they now said one of my passengers is missing.

“After hearing this, I now found a way to leave the depot because I was afraid that the rumour had got to the office and I remembered that my MD had continually told us that he could not use N1m to chase someone even if it was N100. So, I ran away because picking people illegally is equal to stealing,” he said.

When asked if he knew a certain MaryJane or raped her on November 25, 2021, he said he knew her but didn’t rape her.

He said though they were in a relationship, he had never been intimate with her.

He claimed that the last time they met, he sent her N3,000 for her sick child and started avoiding her because she was always demanding money from him anytime they met.

“After giving her the money on that day, I avoided her and didn’t pick up her calls. So, I don’t understand nor know where she got her ideas from,” he said.

He was also asked if he attempted to rape Doctor (name withheld) and exchanged phone numbers on December 29, 2021, in Ikorodu; he denied knowing her nor going to Ikorodu on that day.

However, the case was adjourned till October 21, 2024, for the continuation of the defendant’s examination in chief