MRS Oluwatoyin Bello is a housewife who about two weeks ago, reported a case of alleged rape by her fertility doctor to the police in Ikeja, Lagos. She visited The Sun head office in Lagos, yesterday, to refute the claims of Dr Olusola, visited the newspaper company two days earlier. Excerpts:
Can you the world exactly what happened between you and Dr. Olusola on April 9?
Few weeks ago, I was watching a TV programme on health issues and Dr Yemi was the guest. He discussed extensively the possible causes and cure of infertility. It was as if he was talking to me because I have tried severally to conceive a baby without success.
My first son is 24 years and since then, I have been searching for the fruit of the womb. As I listened to their discussion, I quickly recorded his number, which was scrolling on the TV screen.
Few minutes after the programme, I called the man and told him what I was going through and that I’m unable to get pregnant. He asked me to come to his office at no 4 Ipodo Street, Ikeja.
I did not know the area very well, and that discouraged. I was living with my parents at Surulere when I separated from my husband 18 years ago. We separated when our son was barely six years old. In 2012, we reconciled and had a court wedding at Ojokoro registry. We relocated to Ifako Ijaye where we live till date.
Ever since we reconciled, I have tried to conceive and give my husband a second child but all that had failed.
On Saturday April 9, I was lying on the bed thinking about life and the thought came again that I should try and call the doctor again. I called the doctor and he said that he was in his office and explained to me how to locate his office. I got there later in the day and collected a card, following which the nurse checked my blood pressure and weight.
When the doctor’s office was free, she asked me to go in and I did. I told him how I was feeling; he wrote some tests that I would do on a paper and said that I should give the paper to the nurse.
It was the nurse that did the calculation and said that my bill would be about N38, 000 and above. I said that was too much. The nurse advised me that I should meet the doctor and explain things to him. I went back to the doctor and he said that he would give me 15% discount. He wrote it on a paper and asked me to hand the paper over to the nurse.
Then, I asked the doctor if I could come back another day since I didn’t have such money on me and he said that I could come back but that there were two tests that I needed to do on that day. He asked me the last time I saw my monthly period and I told him. He told me that the test was supposed to start on Friday (April 8) but I can do some that day (Saturday, April 9) and return Monday since on that Saturday, I asked him what the discount of the two tests was and he said I should pay N8500 which I did. The nurse told the doctor, that I had paid. The doctor then asked me to go inside the office where the instrument that would be used for the test was kept.
When I entered the room, he asked me to remove my long skirt and pant and lie on the couch. There was something like TV where I would be seeing what was happening inside my body.
How high was the couch?
It is as high as this table but much longer (making reference to an office table). I removed my pant and he said I should spread my legs; he then took an instrument that he told me was known as Probe. He wore a condom on it and inserted it inside my vagina and asked me to open my legs very wide. He was gradually inserting it in and out of my vagina. At a point he removed the instrument and started fondling with my clitoris, I pushed his hands away but he said I shouldn’t do that. He said that he would not get the exact result that he needed to conclude the test if I pushed his hands away.
He said that there was a fluid that I would discharge and if he felt it, it would be slippery like Okro. At a point, he brought out my breast and squeezed it and watery substance came out. I told him that I detected it, and he said that I had shomurowo (a Yoruba word to describe the condition of her breast.) He continued to squeeze my breast and by then, I decided to close my eyes and concentrate. He pushed something inside me again which I assumed was the Probe. I noticed that he adjusted my body again by drawing my buttocks to the edge of the couch. I was carried away and I never knew that the instrument that was inserted again was actually his penis until I heard him moan out aloud when he wanted to ejaculate. I opened my eyes and realized that he was actually having sex with me. I screamed when I realised he was about to release. I jumped down and he started pampering me that I should not shout.
He removed the condom, dropped it in the waste-bin and was washing his hands. I was crying but he was begging me not to cry. He then called the nurse and by the time the nurse entered, I stood up and cleaned my eyes. The lady (nurse) was looking at me when she realized that I was in shock. He told the nurse should take my blood.
Do you know the name of the nurse?
Yes, her name is nurse Bimbo.
She continued the test and detected that there was a stain of blood, and it was not supposed to be so. He then said that because of the blood that was detected, the blood sample that was taken was of no use. It was raining heavily, so I had to stay back a bit. He first of all did a scan on me before he used the instrument that he inserted in my vagina.
As I was going back home, before I got to the railway line in Ikeja, I saw a government secretariat and noticed a police station beside it. I walked in and saw a man at the counter and I narrated my ordeal to the policeman at the station. As a man, he could not hold himself and started shedding tears.
He told me that they do not treat such case there, that it is only traffic cases they handled there. He told me that I should go to Area F police command and report the matter. Then, it was late, so I could not go to Area F to report. My husband picked me at the bus stop and on our way home, he tried to get me to chat with him but I kept my face straight. He noticed that I was not happy. He asked what the problem was and the fact that I couldn’t talk until the following day, being Sunday. Even on that Sunday, because of my mood, I mistakenly bruised my leg. I later explained to my husband what happened to me. He was shocked and asked if I had any evidence and I told him that I could not even shout.
My husband was also confused that such a thing could happen to me. I told him that I did not know what happened.
He told me to go back there on Monday with my phone and record all my conversation with the doctor. When I got there and we discussed what happened on that day, he said that I should not worry that he has interest in me. I told him that he should have sought my permission and if I was interested, I would let him know. He said that I should forget everything and start my treatment.
I then asked him about the test that he said that I should do. He gave me a paper and said that I should go and meet the nurse. He wrote N11, 000 on the paper. I asked him, how would I pay N11, 000. I reminded him that the N8,500 that I paid on Saturday was of no use since he cancelled the test.
He said that he did some test for me after I left. I told him that I didnt have such an amount that I wanted to pay N10, 000. All these were intended to play along with him so that he would allow me to leave that place.
Even on that Saturday that he raped me, I assumed that it was his usual way. If I shouted, they might kill me because we were not more than three in that house. I told him that I didn’t have that kind of money except I went to the bank. He asked me which of the banks and I said, Skye bank.
The doctor, during his visit said that you met him at the police station and you denied that he raped you. Did you ever deny?
I never denied. Even the Area Commander said that I should come with my husband and I thank God that I informed him earlier. I even thank God that I told my husband because it would have been embarrassing if he heard it from the police. I told them that my husband is a busy man; he leaves home as early 4 am because of traffic and returns home very late.
I suggested that I would collect my android phone from my son and get a video of him narrating the story so that they would not assume that I rented a husband. I also volunteered to come with our family pictures.
But one policewoman advised me that for anyone to believe me, I should go with my husband so that they would see him one-on-one. I pleaded with my IPO to send a text to my husband that the Area Commander wanted to see him, so that he could show it to his boss. The woman did so and my husband was able to take a day off to join me at the police station on Friday (April 15). After the whole conversation, the Area Commander said that there is no concrete evidence; that if they get to the court, they will look stupid. At that point, I became devastated because I do not have anyone to fight for me except God.
It was at that juncture that I said that I left everything in the hands of God. I brought out my Bible, dropped it on the floor and stood on it. I told him that as a pastor , he knew what it meant to swear with the Holy Bible and that if I had lied against him, all the curses inside this Bible should come upon me but if I did not lie against him, may almighty God judge him.
The Area Commander said that they do not believe in swearing with the Bible that it is an ordinary paper. From there, the Area Commander said that he was not saying that I should withdraw the case. They are continuing with their investigation but pending the final decision, I should not take the case to another place. I said that I would be glad if they will continue with the investigation.
Even the nurse denied our conversation after the incident. On that Saturday night after I got home, I called the nurse Bimbo and explained what happened to me and she said that the doctor was fond of sleeping with his patients. She told me that the man is even a pastor at Winners Chapel and most of the ladies that came to their clinic always call to complain. So, when she was invited to the police station, she denied that I never reported such a thing to her. She claimed that what I told her was that the doctor inserted the instrument inside me and told me that I should not be angry.
The Area Commander said that it is a normal procedure, if it is about what the doctor said that he wanted to detect, why would the nurse be begging me not to get angry. The doctor had explained that if they want to have that kind of test, they must insert an instrument inside my private part. How come would this woman be complaining that they inserted that instrument inside her and you are begging that she should not be offended? The nurse just said that I did not complain that the doctor had sex with me.
On that last day that I went with my husband, they now said that they would go the network provider and see if they can recall that conversation. I gave them the numbers but they could only get the day, time and number. We were asked to go until they called us back. I did not write any withdrawal statement.
Did you observe the colour of his underwear?
I only noticed that when I quickly stood up, he was yet to pull up his trouser. I was even telling the Area Commander that if I had wanted to lie against him, I would pretend that the wound I sustained at home was inflicted on me by the doctor when we were struggling. I will never lie against him because I believe that there is God and He will fight my battle.
What exactly do you want government and some of the human right organizations interested in this case do to help your situation?
All I want is justice, so that this man wont continue doing same to other innocent women.