An Ado-Ekiti High Court on Wednesday sentenced a 31-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Ojo Adebayo, to life in prison for raping a nine-year-old girl.

The defendant was indicted on a charge of desecration before Judge Olalekan Olatawura in March.

In sentencing, Judge Olatawura held that the victim’s identification of the defendant as the person who raped her is not only convincing but credible, the same one that has not been discredited during cross-examination and, therefore, is not wrong. .

“In all, I find established and proven beyond a reasonable doubt by the prosecution that the defendant and no other person tainted the minor.

Accordingly, the defendant is found guilty as charged.

“He is sentenced to life in prison,” the judge said.

According to the charge, the defendant on October 8, 2021, at Ilogbo Ekiti, in Ekiti’s Ido/Osi LGA, raped the girl, in contravention of Section 31 (2) of the Child Rights Act, Cap. C7, Ekiti State Laws, 2012.

In her testimony in court, the victim said: “I am a third-grade student, I live with my grandmother. Oga ID Idowu (the accused) is a neighbor of my elder sister.

“That day he called me to buy something for my grandmother when she was going to get water.

“When I arrived, I stood at the door, he asked me to come in but I refused, he forced me into his room and covered my mouth with his hand.”

She said he forced her and warned her not to tell anyone.

Corroborating the girl’s testimony, her grandmother said that she discovered that her granddaughter could not walk properly.

“I bought her some drugs and when I threatened to beat her up, she told me what I had done to her,” he said.

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Julius Ajibare, called five witnesses and presented the defendant’s statement and medical report as evidence.

The convict spoke in his own defense through his lawyer, Toyin Oluwole, and called two witnesses. (NAN)