OAKLAND — What started off as a normal Saturday night of bar hopping for two local friends ended with one of them being attacked in the early morning, allegedly by a man who offered to give the group rides home.
Now, a 20-year-old man named Yakob Abbadura is in jail facing charges of kidnapping, attempted rape, false imprisonment, assault and second-degree robbery. The charges all stem from Abbadura allegedly attempting to force himself on the woman after she told him “no” multiple times inside his vehicle. Police say she wasn’t raped only because she fought back during the sexual assault, and sustained multiple injuries in the process.
The alleged victim was going out to bars in Oakland with a friend on the night of Oct. 26, when police say they bumped into Abbadura and his friend. The four hung out for hours that night, going to multiple bars and engaging in pleasant conversation. When the night was over, Abbadura allegedly offered to give them all rides home.
He seemed nice enough throughout the evening, the woman would later tell police. But after he dropped off the other two passengers, his demeanor changed. He told her he wanted to kiss her and put his hand on her thigh, and she began having a sinking feeling that things were about to take a dark turn, according to police.
When he parked near her home, she attempted to exit the vehicle, but found that the doors had been locked and she was trapped inside, she’d later tell police. That’s when Abbadura allegedly told her, “I’m going to get what I want.”
He groped her, forcibly touched her private parts, and attempted to rape her during the struggle that followed. She was able to fight him off and get out of the car, authorities said, but received cuts and bruises all over her body during the incident.
While they were fighting, Abbadura was able to steal her necklace and purse, leading to the robbery charge, prosecutors allege. Police identified Abbadura as a suspect in part because he provided the alleged victim’s friend with his Instagram handle earlier in the evening.
Abbadura has pleaded not guilty and is being held in lieu of $720,000 bail. He is next due in court on Tuesday.