Crime

Ondo: Man, 35 Bags Five Year Jail Term For Raping Minor

Published

6 years ago

March 12, 2018

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

A 35-year-old timber contrator, Oladapo Akinyodoye has been sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour over unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.

The matter came up sometimes in June last year when he was brought before the family court.

According to the Prosecution, the convict committed the offence at Odundun Street, Ile-Oluji in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Areas of Ondo State between the year 2014 and February 2017.

In the charge sheet, it was alleged that the defendant had several sexual intercourse with the minor (name withheld) and procured unlawful miscarriage and aborted the pregnancies.

The defendant and one Ekundayo Abiodun, the acclaimed doctor, were said to have conspired to commit felony to wit procuring unlawfully the miscarriage the abortion.

The offence according to the prosecution contravened section 32(1)(2) and 516 of the Ondo State Childs Right Law 2017.

The Prosecuting Counsel, from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. David Ebiriku called three withness including the victim and they gave their evidence in court.

Ebiriku who tendered the visual record of the defendant, statement of the witness as evidence and they were marked as exhibits AB and C.

In her judgement, the Presiding family court Magistrate, Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Edwin said that she had read through exhibit B and C, the expressed belief that the defendant truly exploited the minor for at least five time as stated by the defendant.

According to her, if the court has only the reason to doubt the evidence of the minor since she was the only eyes witness of her case, the evidence adduced in exhibit B and C has coroborated and nailed the defendant to have sexually exploited minor since she was in primary six.

Edwin said that the court found the defendant guilty of violating the right of the minor as prescribed in section 32(1) of the Ondo State Childs Rights Law 2007 and convicted him accordingly.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Olubunmi Akinseye urged the court to temper justice with mercy with his client saying that the defendant was a responsible man with a wife and children and he is the bread winner of his household who depends on him.

Akinseye urged the court to have a soft mind in sentencing the defendant so that he can have his freedom.

Magistrate Edwin however sentenced the defendant to five years imprisonment without an option of fine. She also ordered that the named Dr Ekundayo Abiodun should forthwith be charged for procuring the abortion of the pregnancy of the minor before the Magistrate court or family court.