MARGARET CHIDERA
A nurse, Mrs Oluchi Nwoke-okoi, has told an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court how an Arabic teacher, Farouk Adam, allegedly fingered his nine Islamic pupils, ages seven to 13 years.
Farouk is facing a nine-count charge bordering on sexual assault.
Nwoke-okoi, a registered nurse and midwife, while being led in evidence by the state prosecutor, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke, said she was a staff of Women At Risk Foundation (WARIF), and had 15 years experience in midwifery.
The witness told the court that she attended to nine survivors and conducted vaginal examination on seven of them after their mothers brought them to WARIF centre on February 20, 2019.
“The survivors and their mothers were brought to the centre by police officers. We took time to question each of the survivors and also conducted vaginal examination on them.
“Seven of the survivors said that the defendant, who is their Arabic teacher, on several occasions, inserted his fingers into their vaginas.
“The eighth survivor said the defendant only touched her breast while the ninth survivor told us that she was afraid to attend the lslamic class after her sister told her that the defendant inserted his fingers into her vagina.
“Vaginal examination was carried out on them. Based on their histories and the vaginal examination, the result shows absence of hymen. Conclusion is suggestive of sexual assault of minor,” she said.
The witness told the court that the youngest of the survivor was seven years while the oldest was 13 years.
In a cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr A.O. Okonkwo, Nwoke-okoi said she was certified by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), adding that the vaginal examination she carried out on the survivors was not outside her practice.
She further said that vigorous scratching could not tamper with hymen.
“I have a license to practice as a registered and certified midwife and the vaginal examination I carried out is not outside my practice.
“Laceration of the vagina means bruises, injuries or scars on the vagina. In some cases, when the vagina is tampered with, there may be laceration or not.
“In the case of sexual assault, laceration can be seen when the survivor struggles or when penis, fingers or object is being forced into the vagina.
“In the same vein, hymen cannot be intact when the finger, penis or object is inserted into the vagina. It is not in my power to decide whose fingers penetrated the vaginas of the survivors and I disagree that scratching can tamper with hymen,” the nurse said.
The prosecuting counsel informed the court that the witness was the last prosecution witness in the case and prayed the court to order the defendant to open his defense.
The alleged offence contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, (2015).
Justice Abiola Soladoye adjourned the case until October 5 for the defendant to open his defense.