An Ado- Ekiti High Court has sentenced two brothers: Martins Ifebuchi, 32 and Joseph John, 19, to 17 years imprisonment each for raping a 15-year-old girl.
The convicts were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and rape of the teenager on May 8, 2021 in Ajilosun area of Ado Ekiti.
In her recorded statement, the victim said that the first defendant and her mother were both tenants in the house where she lived.
She said her mother used to travel to buy goods to take care of her and her brother, adding: “Martins had been using that opportunity to sleep with me.”
The victim further said that there was a bloodstain on her mother’s bed the first day the first convict forcefully had sexual intercourse with her, with a warning that she should not tell anybody and that if she did, she would die.
She said that thereafter, the second convict, John, came to Martins’ house on holiday and joined him in raping her.
The girl said that when she could not bear it anymore, she had to tell her mother, adding, however, that instead of her mother to raise the alarm, she did not, and pretended to have travelled as usual.
She further said that while she was sleeping around 9.00 p.m. on that day, the convicts entered their room again and were in the process of undressing her when her mother entered and caught them in the act.
“They were then arrested and handed over to the police,” the victim narrated.
To prove his case, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Kola Kolade, called three witnesses and tendered medical reports, the victim’s statement and the defendants’ attestation form, among others, as exhibits.
On the other hand, Counsel to the convicts, Sunday Ochayi, called five witnesses, including the defendants.
In his judgment, Justice Adeniyi Familoni, noted that offence of rape was a heinous crime and an act of utmost inhumanity, with devastating damage.
“It becomes worse when the victim is a person of tender years, as in this case,” he said.
Familoni said that the defendants deserved the punishment to serve as deterrent to others with similar tendencies.
“I hold that the prosecution has successfully proved the alleged offences of conspiracy and rape against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt, as required by law.
“Consequently, the defendants are found guilty of the offences of conspiracy to rape and rape of the 15-year-old girl.
“The defendants are hereby each sentenced to seven years imprisonment each on the count of conspiracy and 10 years each on the count of rape without an option of fine.
“The sentences are to run concurrently with effect from the date of this judgment,” the judge said.
In his reaction after the judgment, Ochayi said that he would study the verdict and decide on whether or not to appeal the judgment.
(NAN)
