Two Men Allegedly Raped Elderly Farmer Until He Went Into Coma

Two men in Nigeria have been arrested after they allegedly raped a 65-year-old farmer until he went into a coma.

The elderly victim, identified as Gilbert Nnagi, was found unconscious in one of the alleged rapists' homes in Ondo Saturday evening, according to Sahara Reporters. He was allegedly unable to talk when he was found and had to be taken to the hospital immediately.

Police attempted to arrest Nnagi's wife over the incident and accused her of leaving him drunk, but she claimed her husband does not even drink, the couple's daughter, Alaba Nnagi, said.

"The police said they picked him from one house where he was locked up. They said it was the [neighbor] who lives in the house who came to report the case. The [neighbors] told us that they raped him through his anus," Alaba said.

Police have apprehended the two alleged rapists and have started their interrogation, a report by Nigerian newspaper Vanguard said.

One of the men, identified as Boniface, denied raping Gilbert and claimed the duo took him to the house so he could rest, according to the outlet.

"When I saw [Gilbert] in the mood, I did not like it as a family friend. So, I asked [him] to sit in my house and when he is calm, he would go home. But [Gilbert] slept off till the next day," Boniface was quoted as saying.

"I could not wake him up, as where he was living is not far from my house. I know [Gilbert's] family, but the mistake I made was not informing them," he added.

Boniface claimed the alcohol he consumed on the day of the incident "affected" him, which is why he allegedly "didn't know what do at the right time." He also denied giving the elderly man any drinks.

"I saw that [Gilbert's] trouser was torn. I did not rape him. But I met the second person with [him] when he was dragging him on the bed," Boniface said.

"I don’t know whether he raped him. That person was beaten before people could rescue [Gilbert] from him," he explained.

Neighbors, however, said they saw the two men "gagging the old man's throat," according to police public relations officer Olufunmilayo Odunlami.

"[Neighbors] claimed they had noise form a particular room and that when they got there, they saw two young men gagging the throat of an old man," Odunlami said. The pair allegedly claimed the old man was drunk.

A Yaba Division officer said the incident is still being investigated.

"[O]ne of the [suspects] said the victim drank alcohol with them, but the victim is unconscious in the hospital right now [so] we still cannot ask him any question[s]," the officer said.