Hard to imagine now but sometime in 2019, the entertainment sector and social media as a whole was agog when the news broke regarding the alleged rape of spouse to popular “Iyawo mi” crooner; Timi Dakolo – Mrs. Busola Dakolo.
For those of us living under a rock at the time and consequently not familiar with the story. In June 2019, Busola Dakolo abruptly came out and shocked us all as she narrated how she survived a rape ordeal by the founder of The Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo.
Mr Fatoyinbo, who has also been implicated in several sexual scandals, runs the Abuja headquarters of his church with his wife, Modele.
Mrs Dakolo opened up about her ordeal in a YouTube interview with Chude Jideonwo published by the channel, YNaija.
She explained that while a member of the church, she was raped at two different times by the pastor.
Mrs Dakolo alleged that the pastor raped her for the first time at her parent’s home and at another time in a secluded road path. She said the incidents occurred before she turned 18 and added that she had reported the alleged rape by the Pastor.
The news was one that shook everyone and quickly people pitched into various tents as the twists and turns began to unfold. As the table turned, Pastor Biodun denied the allegations and after much pressure was forced to go on “leave of absence from the pulpit” for weeks because it was the “right thing to do”. He, however, denied any wrongdoing.
The police and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella organization of Christian churches and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), later opened investigations.
Later on, in September 2019, Busola filed a civil action against the founder of COZA for intentionally inflicting and causing her continuous emotional distress.
In a reaction to the lawsuit, Fatoyinbo filed a counter-claim stating that the accusations from Busola should be dismissed because it was frivolous and statute-barred, further maintaining that the suit was grossly incompetent.
In his ruling in November, Justice Othman Musa, while delivering his judgment awarded the cost of N1m personally as a fine against Busola’s lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, stating that the lawsuit bought by Busola amounted to “an injustice and an abuse of judicial process.”
The judge wrote that “What is left in this suit is sentiment and the case is soaked in emotions and ferried into the court by the claimant riding on the thick clouds of burgeoning sentiments.”
On the other hand though, the Police “handed over its report to the Ministry of Justice in Abuja for onward prosecution of Biodun Fatoyinbo.”
Busola posted a letter from the Nigerian police notifying her that the case file has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation for “legal advice and further necessary action.”
It is key to note that several months later, nothing has been heard about the “progress of justice”.
Which begs the questions – Is Fatoyinbo back on as Head Pastor of COZA?
Has justice been denied or is it just been delayed?
What if time does not tell?
This is Nigeria, sometimes here, there is just nothing for time to tell.
