These are obvioulsy not the best of times for famous music star, Oladapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj as the Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates (COPA) has now weighed into the rape allegation against him by Miss Seyitan Tayo, calling for his arrest.
COPA in a statement on Thursday, June 25th, 2020 by its Director, Human Rights and Gender, Mr. Patrick Odey, said; “We welcome the forthright and timely intervention of the Inspector General of Police, who has since ordered a comprehensive investigation into this matter.”
“This directive is timely given the individuals involved and the peculiarity of the issues therein, as well as the ugly times we live in as a nation where incidences of rape and other gender-based crimes are rampant.”
“The intervention of the IGP is satisfying and assuages risen public fear before now that the instrumentality of the Nigeria Police Force had been hijacked by the bourgeoisie class of the Nigerian polity to protect the musician.”
“Speculations of manipulation and partiality in the investigative process especially given the status of the alleged offender in comparison to the victim, but the directive of the IGP is, to say the least, reassuring and highly welcomed.”
“Justice must not only be done but must also be manifestly seen to be done, and for us at COPA, the manifest path of justice extends to the conduct of investigations and the treatment of the parties.”
“It will be a fair play if there will be a transparent and visible investigation to ensure that a proper, dispassionate and comprehensive investigation into the allegations was conducted without considering the personality involved.”
It would be recalled that Miss Seyitan Tayo weeks after she came out in the public to make the allegation against the Koko Master as D’banj is also known was arrested and detained by the police.
However, Seyitan in her press statement recently narrated her ordeal in the police custody.
It is interesting to also know that D’banj, following the lady’s accusation had slammed her with N100 million defamation suit. He equally demanded for an apology to be published in four national newspapers or risk legal action.
