By Teniola Blessing.
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced 42 year old Ilesanmi Adewale to life imprisonment for raping a 16 year old girl in Isan Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
According to the charge, Ilesanmi Adewale who was arraigned before Justice Monisola Abodunde on 16/12/2021 committed the offence on 13th February, 2021 at Isan Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court when he raped a sixteen year old girl, 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, my father sent me to Iludun Ekiti from Isan Ekiti to bring his ATM card and a sum of N8, 000 he kept at home. On my way back to Isan, I boarded the convict’s car, I was alone with him in the car, he first touched my breast, I warned him to stop it, on getting to a bush between Isan and Iludun, he stopped the car, I opened the door and ran away, he chased and caught me, he carried me on his shoulder to a nearby bush with cutlass in his hand, he threatened to kill me with the cutlass if I refused to cooperate, he removed my pant and forcefully had sexual intercourse with me.
During the process, I was shouting, I bit his hands, and tore his cloth, yet he refused to leave me.He had collected my father’s ATM card and N8, 000 from me, he gave it back to me and begged me not to tell my father.
When I got back to the road, I saw my father on a motorcycle, I narrated what happened to him, the driver was arrested and later taken to the Police station, she concluded.
To proof his case, the prosecutor Folashade Alli called three witnesses and tendered one pant, a big cutlass, medical report, defendant statements among others as exhibits.
The defendant in his own defense spoke through his counsel, T.J. Omidoyin but called no witness.
In his judgment, Justice Monisola Abodunde said, the crime of rape of minor is assuming a frightening dimension in this jurisdiction, I cannot contradict the terms imposed by the law. The mandatory provision is that, once a defendant is convicted of rape, he is liable to imprisonment for life.
Based on the above reasoning and in strict adherence with the provisions of the law, I have no alternative than to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment and I so hold, the judge ruled.
