An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has sentenced a 30-year-old man, Shola Oguntuase, to life imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old Junior Secondary School 3 pupil.
Oguntuase was tried on one count of rape.
The charge read, “That you, Shola Oguntuase, on July 7, 2020, at Ire Ekiti, in the Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did rape a 14-year-old girl.
“The offence contravenes Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap. R7, Laws of Ekiti State.”
In her statement, the victim said, “I am a JSS 3 student. I was sleeping in our room that evening when I spread a cloth on my body. Suddenly, I saw Brother Shola remove the cover cloth; he then laid on me.
“When I was struggling to stand up and shout, he covered my mouth and nose with the cloth and I could not breathe well. I became weak when he started hitting me with blows in the head. He removed my pants and had sexual intercourse with me.
“Thereafter, he used a white handkerchief to rub my private parts and left. I cried till my mother’s arrival. I told her what happened.”
The police prosecutor, Marcus Olowoyo, called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement, the victim’s statement and a medical report as exhibits.
The defendant, who spoke through his counsel, Rotimi Adabembe, called no witness.
In his judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye said, “From the entire circumstances, I have no doubt that the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant raped the female victim. The defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”
