Andrew Ominikoron, the former BRT driver who was charged for the r@pe and murder of a 22-year-old fashion designer, Olu­wabamise Ayanwole, has narrated how he was arrested.

The defendant is standing trial bordering on r@pe, conspiracy, felony, s3xual assault, and murder brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

He was arraigned in March 2022, before the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square, over the r@pe and murder of his passenger, on February 26, 2022, at the Lekki-Ajah Conservation expressway.

Ominikoron, who testified in his defence before the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square on Monday, told the court that he did not r@pe nor kill Oluwabamise.

Testifying before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, the former BRT driver disclosed that he was arrested at Ososa in Ogun State around 1:am, while he was sleeping.

He said that he was sleeping around 1 a.m. when he heard a knock on the door.

Ominikoron said that the people at the door told him and his friend that they were officers and that he should open the door.

He added that when they did, an officer put a torch on his face and slapped him on the ear, and then he fell. Ominikoron said they brought out their phone and showed him pictures of a fair Iady that he kidnapped on his bus.

The defendant who was led in his defence by his counsel Abay­omi Omotubora, said it was not true because that lady wasn’t the first he carried on his bus.

He added that they showed him another picture of a dark girl, which he agreed was the person on the bus. He said he was beaten, they tied his eyes, hand­cuffed his hand and put him in the Hilux alongside his work bag and his friend.

The witness said that when they arrived at their destination, the boss of the officers told him to just tell the truth about what happened so he would set him free.

Ominikoron said he narrated what had hap­pened on the fateful day, but the police boss said he would do his findings and then took him to the torture room cuffed his leg and hand and put a pipe in between.

According to him, they told me I kidnapped someone and I said no but they refused to believe me. I was still being tor­tured and I pleaded that the pain was much and unbearable then I passed out.

The BRT driver said: “They poured water on me to revive me, then I begged them to give me a cup of water but they refused. The officers were ordered to then lock me in a cell.

“Around 4 am I was brought out every 10 to 15 minutes for interrogation.”

He said that he was later tak­en to the Department of State Service Office, where he saw his MD with other LAMATA staff.