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A 56-year-old man named Jaiyeola Oluwafemi has been sentenced to life in prison by a High Court in Ekiti State for raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter.
Oluwafemi appeared before the court, which was led by Judge Adekunle Adeleye, facing a single charge of rape brought by the state's Police Force.
During the hearing on Tuesday, prosecution attorney Julius Ajibare informed the court that the defendant violated Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law.
The crime occurred on October 26, 2020, when the victim was a Primary 6 student. Ajibare noted that the act also violated Cap C7 of the Laws of Ekiti State from 2012 and presented six witnesses along with the medical report of the victim as evidence.
The victim recounted, “On October 26, 2020, while my mother was in Lagos, he stayed in our house. At midnight, he woke me up and forcibly had sex with me, causing serious bleeding.”
She continued, “The next morning, I informed my mother upon her return, and although he denied it, he continued to assault me whenever my mother was not present. After I repeatedly reported him, he threatened me.
Once, when he attempted to assault me again, I escaped and spoke to a woman nearby who advised me to report it to the governor’s office. I
did, which led to his arrest.” The judge determined that the prosecution had provided clear and compelling evidence, stating, “The defendant is found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.”
