By Oludamisi Ojo
Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti, has sentenced a 32-year old Martins Ifebuchi and 19-year old John Joseph to 34 years imprisonment for raping a minor.
They were sentenced each to 17-year jail term on two count charge of conspiracy and rape of a 15 -year old girl, on May 8, 2021 in Ajilosun Area of Ado Ekiti.
Delivering his judgment on Tuesday, Justice Adeniyi Familoni said: “Offence of rape is an heinous crime, act of utmost inhumanity that is devastatingly damaging. It becomes worse when the victim is a person of tender years, as in this case.
“The defendants deserve such punishment that should serve as deterrent to others with similar tendencies.
“Conclusively, I hold that the prosecution had successfully proved the alleged offences of conspiracy and rape against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt, as required by law.
“Consequently, the defendants are found guilty of the offences of conspiracy to rape and rape of the 15- year old girl on the 8th of May, 2021.
“The defendants are each sentenced to seven years imprisonment on the count of conspiracy and 10 years imprisonment each on the count of rape without option of fine.
“The sentences are to run concurrently with effect from the date of his judgment.
NIS rescues 8 victims of human trafficking
In her recorded statement, the victim ,said Martins had been using the itinerant nature of her mother’s business to be sleeping with her, with blood stain on her mother’s bed, the first day he forcefully had sexual intercourse with her and warned the victim not to tell anybody, if she does, she will die.
“Thereafter, the second defendant (John) came on holiday to his brother’s house, and also joined Martins in raping me.
“When I couldn’t bear it anymore, I explained to my mother but instead of her raising alarm, she did not, she pretended to have travelled as usual, when I was sleeping around 9:00pm on that day, the defendants entered our room, they were in the process of undressing me, when my mother entered and caught them. They were arrested and handed over to the police”, she concluded.
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Kola Kolade, called three witnesses and tendered medical report, statements of the victim and defendants’ attestation form among others as exhibits.
