A 47-year-old Nigerian man who worked as nightclub security guard in the United Kingdom, Morenikeji Adewale, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London for allegedly raping a 19-year-old woman in his car near the popular Heaven nightclub in November.
The court heard that Adewale was in the UK on a five-year tourist visa, which allowed only six-month visits at a time and strictly prohibited employment.
Despite this, prosecutors allege he secured a job as a nightclub security guard in central London using false identification under the name Olusola Julius Alabi.
His real identity was uncovered through fingerprint evidence following his arrest. He has pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing identification documents with improper intent.
When questioned about the false name, Adewale told officers he had panicked and claimed, “That’s the name people call me at my work.”
The alleged victim, a 19-year-old Christian woman, cannot be named for legal reasons. She was reportedly intoxicated on the night of the incident, and jurors were reminded that consent cannot be given if a person is too drunk.
The court heard that the young woman had committed to abstinence until marriage. On the night in question, she was said to be visibly stumbling from intoxication.
Adewale claimed he had met the woman months earlier at the club and that she approached him in a friendly manner that night—calling him “handsome,” kissing him, and asking for water. According to him, she greeted him with, “Hello, Uncle, how are you?” and “You look handsome.”
He told the court that he offered her water from his car, as he could not go back into the club. He then drove her to a more secluded area, where the alleged assault occurred. While he admitted there was sexual activity, Adewale denied penetrative sex and claimed he stopped when the woman revealed her age, stating, “I can’t date someone below 25.”
The trial remains ongoing.
