Miss Bayelsa pageant organizer allegedly rapes contestant during photo shoot

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Miss Bayelsa pageant organizer allegedly rapes contestant during photo shoot

The Police in Bayelsa State on Monday reportedly arrested a Beauty Pageant Organiser, Ambassador Richard Franklin, for allegedly locking up an upcoming teenage model and abusing her sexually.

Franklin, alleged to be a serial rapist of potential models and beauty contestants and known to police divisions in Yenagoa, the state capital, subjected his victim, Ebi Gesiere, to sexual abuse and torture, Leadership is reporting.

The victim?, an indigene of Ammassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of the state, narrated that on September 25, she secured a form to contest the Miss Bayelsa Teen pageant and the Miss Tourism Pageant.


Gesiere said, “During the audition, I met the manager of the event, Richard Franklin.

“Franklin asked me to meet him at the Opili Plaza near the NUJ press centre for a photo shoot.

“Despite my scheduled church service, I went.

“On getting to the place, he locked the door and asked me to pull my clothes and put on another for the photo shoot.


“When I pulled, he asked to pull my undies but I declined.

“He hit me with iron rod and threatened to throw me from the three story building.

“He threatened to lock me in and hand me over to boys to defile. He later had his way with the iron rod point close to my eyes,” the victim was quoted as saying.

The suspect was arrested in Azikoro area of Yenagoa Local Government Council of the state.

The suspected rapist was said to have been arrested following a petition filed by the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, led by Barr. Dise Ogbise Erhisere.

Investigation by the FIDA further showed that though the police divisions in the state had received series of petitions bordering on rape and assault against Franklin, but some senior police officers had reportedly covered up the investigation and allowed him walk free.?