A 56-year-old man, Jaiyeoba Oluwafemi, is to spend the rest of his life in prison for raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter, an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division ordered on Monday.
Oluwafemi was tried and found guilty of the one-count charge bordering on rape preferred against him.
The charge read, “That the defendant on October 26, 2020, at Ado Ekiti did rape a 14-year-old girl, contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.”
In her testimony before the court, the victim, who was a primary six pupil at that time, said, “My mother got married to the defendant, we were not living together, but he used to sleep in our house especially when my mother was not at home or travelled.
On October 26, 2020, my mother travelled to Lagos and the defendant slept in our house. At midnight, he woke up and forcibly had sex with me.
Thereafter, blood was gushing out of my private parts. I called my mother when she returned the following morning, but he denied.
He continued the act anytime my mother was not around. I used to tell my mother on her arrival, but she did nothing about it.
When she noticed that I was telling my mother about his continuous sexual activity with me, he started threatening me,” she said.
The victim said that she reported the matter at the Governor’s Office following a woman’s advice, which led to the man’s arrest.
The prosecutor, Julius Ajibare, called six witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement and medical report as exhibits.
The defendant, who was on bail two years ago, spoke in his defence, though his lawyer, Oladele Adedeji, called one witness.
In the judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye said the court found the man guilty of the offence.
Adeleye said, “I am of the humble view that the sexual intercourse sessions were on several occasions. It was not a one-off affair.
And upon careful analysis of the entire circumstance of this case, the change in story or outright denial by the defendant is an afterthought.
The prosecution has established the offence of rape against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. He is accordingly found guilty as charged and hereby sentenced to life imprisonment as provided for under the provisions of Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7 Law of Ekiti State, 2012,” the judge pronounced.
