By Adeleye Kunle
An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced one Ajibola Odebo to ten years imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old girl in Ado Ekiti.
The 40-year-old Ajibola Odebo was arraigned before Justice Bamidele Omotoso on one count charge bordering on rape on 22/11/2021.
The charge reads that the convict on 31st January 2021 in Ado Ekiti did rape a 12 years old minor.
The offence runs contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap.C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her statement to the police, the victim said, I went to check my friend at Ojumose area of Ado Ekiti, when it was dark, I was trekking back home, I saw a man who asked me why I was roaming about, I explained what happened to him, he stopped the defendant (an okada man) and paid him a sum of N200 to take me to our house at Housing Estate but instead, he diverted to an unknown route, I later found myself in a room, at an unknown place where I later got to know to be Okutagbokutalori, he did not sleep with me on that day, when he came on the second day, his neighbours asked him who I am, he lied to them, when they left, he came back and forcefully had sexual intercourse with me, she concluded.
To prove his case, the prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo called five witnesses and tendered the defendants’ statements and medical reports as exhibits.
The convict spoke in his own defence through his counsel, E.K. Adetifa, he said, I was paid to take the victim to her house at Housing Estate but she begged me not to take her home, that was the reason I took her to my brother’s house when I tried to have sex with her on the second day, I discovered she was still a virgin as I could not penetrate her and left her to go. However, he called two witnesses.
In his judgement, Justice Bamidele Omotoso said, the offence of rape is rampant in our society, and giving the convict an option of a fine would defeat and frustrate the efforts of well-meaning people and stakeholders to curtail this menace in our society.
Nevertheless, the court would temper justice with mercy since the convict is a first offender and breadwinner of his family as pleaded by his lawyer.
‘‘I hereby sentenced the convict Ajibola Odebo to a term of imprisonment of ten (10) years without an option of fine’’.The term of imprisonment shall begin to run from 26th February 2021, he ruled
