Court sentences Ekiti driver to life imprisonment for raping teenage passenger

One Ilesanmi Adewale has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl in Isan Ekiti, Oye Local Government area of Ekiti State.

The 42-year-old was convicted and sentenced by Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division on Monday.

He raped the teenager when she boarded his cab while running errands for her father.

According to the charge, the defendant on February 13, 2021 raped a 16-year-old girl, contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and was arraigned on December 16, 2021.

In her statement to the Police, the victim said, “My father sent me to Iludun Ekiti from Isan Ekiti to bring his ATM card and N8,000 he kept at home. On my way back to Isan, I boarded the commercial driver’s car, I was alone with him in the car. He first touched my breast and I cautioned him to stop it.

“On getting to a bush between Isan and Iludun, when he stopped the car, I opened the door and ran away. He pursued and caught me, he carried me on his shoulder to a nearby bush. He threatened to kill me with the cutlass in his hand if I refused to cooperate. He removed my pant and forcibly had sexual intercourse with me. I bit his hands and tore his cloth as I cried, but he refused to leave me.

“Then, he had collected my father’s ATM card and N8,000 from me. When he returned them to me, he begged me not to tell my father. But as I got back to the road, I saw my father on a motorcycle, I narrated what happened to him, the driver was arrested and later taken to the Police station,” she stated.

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Folashade Alli, called three witnesses and tendered the victim’s pant, a cutlass, medical report and the defendant’s statements among others as exhibits.

In defence, the defendant spoke through his counsel, but called no witness.

Justice Monisola Abodunde in the judgment said, “The crime of rape of minor is assuming a frightening dimension in this jurisdiction, I cannot contradict the terms imposed by the law. The mandatory provision is that, once a defendant is convicted of rape, he is liable to imprisonment for life.

“Based on the above reasoning and in strict adherence with the provisions of the law, I have no alternative than to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment and I so hold,” the Judge pronounced.