The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Executive Director at ARM Pension Managers (PFA) Limited (name withheld) following allegations of sexual assault levelled against him by a colleague.
The female colleague (name also withheld) reported to the police that the incident occurred on the night of July 18, 2024.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said on Friday, that the accused is in custody.
“The said director at ARM Pension Managers is in our custody. His case has been referred to the Gender Desk, Lagos State Police Command,” Hundeyin said in a phone chat.
According to the victim, the assault took place after an office party hosted by ARM Pension.
She said she was abducted and raped at a popular hotel on Chevron Drive, Lagos.
The victim disclosed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent where she alleged that the accused had “penetrative sexual intercourse” with her after her drink was “spiked.”
She recalled that she consumed a small amount of Jameson Whiskey mixed with Coke and one cocktail at the party.
She added that her last memory was around 7.30pm to 8pm, after which she experienced a blackout, only to wake up undressed in the hotel room around 3am.
“I checked the time, it was around 3am, and my private parts were sore and felt like someone had invaded me.
“I walked out of the room and looked around for a clue of the name of the hotel to even have a sense of where I was, I saw the name XYZ Hotel (name withheld). I googled it, and I found that it is on Chevron Drive. I asked the receptionist and security man to help me get a taxi so I could go home,” she said.
Meanwhile, the company in a Wednesday statement addressed the assault allegation, stating that the accused executive had been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
The statement read, “ARM Pension Managers (PFA) Ltd is aware of a serious allegation of assault involving our employees. We are deeply disturbed by this and are committed to addressing the situation with the utmost seriousness and sensitivity.
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with our colleague who has come forward. We want to express our deepest concern and support for her during this tough time. Sexual assault is a grave matter that has no place in our organisation and society at large, and we stand firmly against all forms of harassment or violence.
“This incident reportedly took place outside the office premises on the night of July 18, 2024, after an office team bonding event and involved two of our colleagues. We have initiated a thorough and independent investigation into the allegation, and we are fully cooperating with the law enforcement authorities to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive and impartial.
“The accused employee, an executive in the company, has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation’s outcome. Additionally, we are offering support services to the complainant who has come forward, including counselling and any other resources she may need during this time.”
The statement concluded by emphasising the company’s commitment to creating a safe and respectful workplace for all employees, pledging to support the investigation, and ensuring transparency throughout the process.
“We understand the gravity of this situation and the impact it has on all involved. Hence, we will handle this situation with the highest level of integrity and transparency,” it read.
Victim Narrates Her Ordeal
"My name is Ogo (full name witheld), 07062276×××. I am 36 years of age and I work at ARM Pension as an HR Business Partner. I would like to officially report that I was sexually assaulted i.e. I was abducted and raped by xxxx, ED at ARM Pension (08033008×××) on the night of July 18, 2024 when we had the an office party. ARM Pension, Ikoyi had penetrative sexual intercourse with me, without my consent.
The assault was done at a certain hotel I woke up to find myself at a hotel at Chevron drive, Lagos.
On the evening of the office party, just like every other staff member at the party I had food and drinks. I had mixed a small amount of Jameson whiskey and coke. This whiskey bottle was opened by ( name witheld ) on the table I was seated at with other colleagues. However, being part of the planning committee I had to stand up from my table at intervals to coordinate the serving of food and at such times left my drink, food and other personal effects in the care of colleague (07085757×××) who is a colleague and one I am very friendly with.
My last memory of the party was at about 7.30,8ish. However, he claimed that I mentioned to her that I was tipsy and could not drive. So she offered to find a way for me to go home and then approached (accused ) to drop me off since he lived around the same axis as me. I live at Femi Okunnu Phase 4 estate Jakande lekki. Along with the Jameson whiskey which was like ¼ of a plastic cup, I had one cocktail from the bar that is the last I remembered. I lost total memory of every conversation and activity as my last memory of the night was from 7.30pm.
My entire memory was wiped out which was very unusual even for someone who might have drunk excessively which I didn’t and have quite a good alcohol tolerance from precedent. Next thing I know I wake up and realize I am in a room fully undressed. I look around and I realize it was a hotel. I find my clothes in a pile and my wig, my phone and my handbag. I checked the time it was around 3am and my private parts were sore and felt like someone had invaded me.
I walked out of the room, looked around for a clue of the name of the hotel to even have a sense of where I was, I saw the name Limeridge hotel, I googled it and I found that it’s on chevron drive. I ask the receptionist and security man to help me get a taxi so I can go home. I further checked my whatsapp messages and I saw that accused the perpetrator had sent me a message that he was with my laptop bag and ID Card. She had sent me a couple of messages that sounded frantic wanting to know if I was okay and if accused dropped me at home. I sent her a message to tell her that I do not understand why my memory is wiped out and it's unusual.
When it was morning, I tried to call him twice and he didn’t pick up. I messaged him that I’d like to talk to him and shortly after he called me. When he called I asked him how I ended up in a hotel since I was in his car as my colleagues said and he was to drop me at home. He said he asked me for my address and I was incoherent and so he took me to that hotel. I further asked why I was naked when I woke up and he said he didn’t know that he just dropped me and left.
I later spoke to my colleagues because I needed to find my car and I was told that my car was safe in the office. She further mentioned that she sent videos of me and her dancing at the party as he requested her to. I have no recollection of her making any video except for some pictures we had earlier taken at the start of the party and an 11 seconds video. However she shared videos with me this morning of me and her dancing and another colleague was in the video. Again my memory is blanked out on this. I messaged her later on Friday morning to ask how I could get my laptop bag and ID card and he said he had given the security guards in the office to put it in my car.
I went back to the hotel that Friday morning after I dropped off my kids at school and I asked to see the CCTV footage to ascertain when he brought me there and if he really just left after dropping me. The receptionist first confirmed that he paid for the hotel room at 22.05, showed me evidence and then went ahead to show me the footage, I was seen leaning on him and he was holding my shoes and a hand on my back guiding me into the hotel and hotel room at about 15.52 and was seen leaving at 17.36. Now this time I am quoting is because the CCTV time in the hotel was not West African time, WAT but the time interval was about 1 hour 45 minutes he was in the hotel room with me.
I called my family and informed them of this. I have had a rape kit test done at Island maternity on Friday. I made a formal report at the Ikoyi Police station on Saturday morning. My private part was bruised and I have been in pain. I have also formally reported to the Head of HR, who is my boss with the MD and another Executive Director in copy. My life has been disrupted badly. I am a single mother with two kids and my mental and physical state has been impacted by this incident and I need to take care and show up for my kids in all of this.
I sent him another message that Friday morning asking why he didn’t ask Dami or any of my other colleagues for my address if truly he had the intention to drop me at my house which he had no response to. I did not remotely have any conversation with accused or give any consent to be involved with him in any remotely personal way. He asked me at the party to come sit with him and I refused and sat with my colleagues who I was comfortable with.
He took me against my will, most likely put spiked my drink with the help of someone or by himself and took me to a destination I didn’t know or want to be and raped me. It is beyond sad that I could not be safe at an office function and instead my whole world has been overturned.
I am on some very strong medication given to me at Island maternity, antibiotics and HIV Post exposure prophylaxis and have requested some time from work to recuperate. I believe he is a serial rapist and I might not be the first person he would have done this too.
I am requesting that Lagos state take this case up fully and this predator who has tried to ruin my life and cause me this trauma be persecuted to the full extent of the law, he and whoever aided him.
Thank you for taking time to read this."