AN Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced Jayeoba Oluwafemi to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 14-year-old stepdaughter.
The 56-year-old convict was arraigned before Justice Adekunle Adeleye on December 4, 2020, on a single charge of sexual assault. The charge stated that on October 26, 2020, at Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, the defendant sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl, contrary to Section 31 (2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her testimony before the court, the survivor, who was a primary six pupil, said: “My mother married the defendant. We were not living together, but he used to sleep in our house, especially when my mother was not at home or had travelled.
“On October 26, 2020, my mother travelled to Lagos, and the defendant slept in our house. At midnight, he woke up and forcefully had sex with me, and thereafter, blood was gushing out of my vagina. I called my mother the following morning. When she arrived, she asked him, but he denied it.
“He continued this act any time my mother was not around. I used to tell my mother on her arrival, but she did nothing about it. When he noticed that I was telling my mother about his continuous sexual activity with me, he started threatening me.
“One day, he wanted to beat me, and I ran out of the house. I met a woman on the road. I told her what happened, and she directed me to the governor’s office to lodge an official complaint, which led to his arrest,” she concluded.
To prove his case, 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 own defence through his lawyer, Oladele Adedeji.
In the judgement, Justice 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 sexual assault 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 court held.
