Nigerian artist Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj, has been declared innocent of both rape and N-Power fraud accusations following thorough investigations by the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Exclusive documents obtained by our correspondent on Friday reveal separate clearance reports from the police and the anti-graft agency, absolving the artist of any wrongdoing after the completion of their respective inquiries.
In an affidavit sworn by Toheeb Lawal of the Abuja-based Law Corridor law firm, submitted to the District Court of Abuja, the reports from the Nigeria Police Force and ICPC were marked as exhibits A and B. The legal practitioner affirmed that both entities had conclusively cleared D’banj of the rape and fraud allegations.
In 2020, D’banj faced accusations of rape, prompting the Inspector General of Police to initiate an investigation. A report dated November 14, 2023, signed by ACP YY Abubakar of the Special Enquiry Bureau at the Force Criminal Investigations Department in Abuja, stated that the investigation found no evidence to support the claim.
The police report stated, “The allegation was investigated. The complainant, witnesses, and suspects made their statements, and the investigation extended to the Glee Hotel Lagos, where the staff on duty on the date of the alleged incident provided their statements.”
It further revealed that the hotel management asserted the absence of D’banj on the alleged date and discredited the complainant’s account, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of the petition by the complainant.
In a separate incident in 2022, the ICPC accused D’banj of diverting funds related to the N-Power Programme. However, the commission, after thorough examination, cleared him of any fraud allegations.
A clarification dated November 29, 2023, from the ICPC stated, “The commission investigated issues of fraud in the administration of the N-POWER Scheme, where Mr. Daniel Oladapo Oyebanjo’s name came up. However, there was no prima facie case of fraud against him.”
D’banj’s lawyer, in a deposition filed before the Chief District Court of the Federal Capital Territory, affirmed that the singer was never a government official, had no access to government funds, and supported the N-power campaign on a voluntary basis without receiving any payment.
