A 40 -year old commercial motorcycle rider, Akinola Odebo has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment without option of a fine on Thursday by Ado-Ekiti High Court for raping a 12-year-old girl
Penpushing reports that, the convict was arraigned on a one-count charge of defilement on 22 November 2021, an offence which contravenes the provisions of Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap.C7, Laws of Ekiti, 2012.
The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, to prove his case during the trial of Odebo called five witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement and medical report as exhibits, while the counsel to the convict E.K. Adetifa, argued that his client was paid to take the survivor to her house at Housing Estate but she begged him not to take her home.
Penpushing further reports that, the commercial motorcyclist said he took the girl to his brother’s house, and when he tried to have sex with her on the second day, he discovered she was still a virgin and let her go.
The survivor in her statement to the police said she went to check on her friend in the Ojumose area of Ado Ekiti at night, and stopped the commercial motorcyclist, having paid him N200 to take her house located at Housing Estate, adding he diverted to an unknown place
”I stopped an okada man and paid him N200 to take me to our house at Housing Estate but instead, he diverted and took me to an unknown place. I later found myself in a room with him where I later got to know to be Okutagbokutalori. He lied to his neighbours when they asked who I was. He raped me”, she said.
Penpushing also reports that, the trial judge, Justice Bamidele Omotoso delivering his judgement, said the offence of rape is rampant in society, stressing that giving the convict an option of a fine would defeat and frustrate efforts to curtail the menace
“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 the breadwinner of his family as pleaded by his lawyer.
‘‘I hereby sentence the convict, Ajibola Odebo, to a term of imprisonment of ten (10) years without the option of a fine. The term of imprisonment shall begin from February 26, 2021’, the judge announced the judgement.
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