An Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, has sentenced a 47-year-old secondary school teacher, Ojo Ezekiel to life imprisonment for raping a seven-year-old girl.
Ezekiel was first arraigned on July 1, 2022, on one count charge of rape contrary to section 3 (1) and punishable under section 3 (2) of the violence against persons (prohibition) law of Ogun state 2017.
During the trial, prosecuting counsel, Olusegun Olaotan, told the court that while the victim’s mother was bathing her seven-year-old daughter, she observed that something was wrong with her private part.
Upon persistent questioning, Olaotan revealed the minor told her mother how she was sexually abused by the convict.
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“While giving her evidence in court, the second prosecution witness, who is the victim, said that the defendant used to pull aside her pants before inserting his finger into her vagina.
“Evidence of the third prosecution witness (medical doctor) corroborates that of the second prosecution witness. She testified that in the course of examining the victim, she discovered that the hymen was not intact. It was opened by 2cm,” Olaotan submitted.
Olaotan further said the victim mentioned the name of the defendant as the only person who repeatedly inserted his finger into her private part.
The prosecuting counsel urged the court to go ahead and punish the defendant for his misdeeds as evidence before the court is quite overwhelming and weighty enough to hold him guilty of rape and should be convicted accordingly.
In his judgement, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi held that the prosecuting counsel has established the case of rape against the accused and thereafter sentenced him to life imprisonment.
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