By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 30-year-old man, Sola Oguntuase, to life imprisonment for having carnal knowledge of a teenager.
Oguntuase was convicted by Justice Adekunle Adeyeye, on one count charge of rape brought against him by the Ekiti State Police Command.
According to the charge, the convict raped a 14-year-old teenager on July 7, 2020 at Ire Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The offence contravenes Section 31 (2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap. R7, Laws of Ekiti State.
During the hearing, the victim narrated, “I am a student of a public Secondary School in Ire-Ekiti, I am in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3.
“On that fateful evening, I was sleeping in our room and I spreadth cover cloth on my body. Suddenly, I saw oga Sola (brother Sola) removing the cover cloth from my body. As I struggled to stand up and tried to raise an alarm, he covered my mouth and nose with the cloth and I could not breath well.
‘Suddenly, I became weak when he started hitting me with blows on the head. He removed my pant and had sexual intercourse with me. Thereafter, he used white handkerchief to wipe my private party and left. I was crying till my mother came back and I explained what happened to her.
“That was the first time he would have sexual intercourse with me, ”she concluded.
To proof his case beyond reasonable doubt, the prosecutor, Marcus Olowoyo,. called four witnesses, and tendered the defendant’s statements, victim’s statement and medical report which were admitted as exhibits.
The convict spoke in his own defense through his counsel Rotimi Adabembe and called no witness.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye said, “from the entire circumstances, I have no doubt that the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant rape the victim who is a teenager.
“To serve as a good lesson to the general public, the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment,” he ruled.
