Orphanage Rape: Orphans Seek Support

The orphanage

Some orphans at the Light of Hope Orphanage Akute, have called on the Ogun State Government to ensure that the establishment did not go into extinction despite the prosecution of its director, Olatayo Atunde for alleged rape.

The five orphans, who pleaded anonymity, told PUNCH Metro that they had been following the allegation of rape by two minors in the orphanage and would want justice to prevail.

They, however, urged the government and other Nigerians to make sure that the orphanage did not die as a result of the incident, while other residents of the orphanage did not suffer.

The speakers, who are undergraduates of some higher institutions in the country, said “although we were surprised when we learnt of Atunde’s arrest, we were not shocked at the allegations.”

One of them said, “Anything can happen nowadays and there had been whispers that nobody believed until the arrest by the law enforcement agency.”

Two minors (names withheld) at the orphanage, had in April 2013, accused Atunde of rape. Based on a petition written by Project Alert, a nongovernmental organisation on violence against women, Atunde was  arrested by the Zone 2 Police Command.

He was arraigned before an Ota Magistrate’s Court and remanded in prison pending an advice from the Ogun State Directorate of Public Prosecution.

However, two months after, Atunde was reportedly granted bail. Project Alert who holds watching brief for the minors, was allegedly not informed.

Weeks after Atunde’s arrest, the Ogun State government in a statement, said the orphanage was not properly registered. It also banned Atunde from the orphanage.

PUNCH Metro gathered that, although some of the orphans craved justice, they were worried about their future in the event Atunde was found guilty.

Another of the orphans said, “We know Atunde is out on bail although he has not been to the orphanage.  He should be punished if it is true that he did what they said he has done.

“As much as we want justice, we are also concerned about what would happen to us all in the long run. We do not want to be thrown back into the streets. Some of us have no known living relatives. And those who do, their relatives are too poor to take care of them.”

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