Man jailed 30 months for raping three-year-old

Kangmwa GofwenFebruary 1, 20241 Mins read513

He deserves a second chance – Judge

Twenty-year-old Seun Olarewaju has been sent to jail for 30 calendar months for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl in Ekiti State. The convict was arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni in a High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti in 2022 on a one-count charge of rape.

According to the charge, Olarewaju, on August 6, 2021, at Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court did rape a three-year-old girl, contrary to section 31(1) of the Child Right Law, Cap C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The victim’s mother presented her evidence before the court and said, “I was not around. I did not know what happened until the following day when I was bathing my daughter, and she did not allow me to wash her private part. When I checked, I saw it was red and swollen.

“I was so scared. When I asked what happened to her bum bum, she repeatedly said it was Seun. My brother-in-law narrated what transpired between Seun’s mother, my mother-in-law and my daughter. I reported the matter to the police, who later took over the matter,” she narrated.

The prosecutor, Kunle Shina Adeyemo, called three witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement, medical report and pictures of the victim, among other exhibits.

The defendant’s counsel, Luke Ekene, called four witnesses and prayed the court temper justice with mercy.

In his judgement, Justice Familoni said he believed the defendant deserved a second chance because he was young. He said, “I believe the defendant, as a young person, deserves a second chance to redeem himself and be a good citizen. He cannot do that if I sentence him to life imprisonment.

“Therefore, I am inclined to temper justice with mercy to afford him an opportunity of redemption. Therefore, the defendant, Olarewaju Seun, is sentenced to 30 calendar months imprisonment without an option of a fine. The sentence will run effective from September 20, 2021, when arrested by the police and kept in detention.”