A 71-year-old man identified as Sule Adeola, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ekiti State High Court, for raping a 10-year-old girl.
The defendant was charged to court on June 22, 2023, on a one-count charge bordering on rape.
According to the prosecution team led by Julius Ajibare, the convict was the victim’s grandmother’s neighbour and carried out the dastard act between 2021 and 2023. Ajibare told the court that victim had initially failed to tell her grandmother because the convict had vowed to kill her.
To prove his case, the prosecutor, Julius Ajibare, called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement and medical report as exhibits.
The defendant spoke through his counsel, Adefolaju Ayobioloja, and called three witnesses.
Delivering judgment in the case, the Justice Blessing Ajileye, said
““It is unfortunate and saddening that recorded cases of intimate person’s sexual assault, hit new high every day. From the totality of evidence on record, I am more persuaded by the prosecution’s evidence that there was proof of penetration, there is no scintilla of evidence available in the contrary. In all, I found that the prosecution proved the most essential ingredient of rape i.e. penetration. The defendant penetrated the vagina of the victim and I so hold. The defendant, Sule Adeola, is found guilty of the offence of rape of a 10 years old girl as charged. He is accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment.”
