An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, has sentenced a 31-year-old man, Olaleye Jimoh, to 20 years imprisonment for raping a 50-year-old woman.
Jimoh was arraigned on July 5, 2022, before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on a count charge bordering on rape.
According to the charge, the defendant, on January 22, 2021, “did rape a 50-year-old woman, contrary to Section 2 of the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No. 18 of 2019.”
In his statement to the police, the victim said, “I went to pay a condolence visit to one of my business partners at the Abidoye Farm in Odo Owa Ekiti. On my way back home, I saw the defendant going towards the same route.
“As my neighbour, he requested to help me and I agreed. At one point, he stopped and said he wanted to pick something at a nearby primary school. He asked me to hold something for him. I became unconscious immediately after I touched the substance.
“I later found myself in the bush where I discovered I had been raped,” she said.
The prosecutor, Funmi Bello, called two witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements and a torn pant as exhibits.
The defendant, who spoke in his defence through his lawyer, Adunni Olanipekun, denied committing the offence and called three witnesses.
In the judgement on Wednesday, Justice Adeniyi Familoni said, “It is my findings that the prosecution has proved the alleged offence of the rape of the victim beyond reasonable doubt and the defendant is convicted as charged.
“Consequently, the defendant, Olaleye Jimoh, is hereby sentenced to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
“The sentence is with effect from the date he was arrested and detained,” the judge pronounced.
