A 50-year-old man named Usman Tajudeen was given a life sentence for raping a four-year-old child by the Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti.
Usman was charged with one count of rape in violation of Section 31 (2) of the child’s right law, Cap.C7 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and was arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye.
Justice Ogunmoye said in his ruling yesterday that the prosecutor had proven to the court that the defendant had sex with the minor and committed the alleged rape offence.
‘In all, the prosecution had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant. The sole issue for determination is resolved in favour of the prosecution. The defendant is convicted as charged.
‘The sentence for the offence of rape under Child’s Right Law is mandatory. He is sentenced to life imprisonment,‘ the court ruled.
The charge reads ‘that you Usman Tajudeen, on August 21, 2020, at Ikere Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, did rape a 4 year old girl.’
In her statement to the police, the victim said that Usman, who is living in our house on that day and took her to his sitting room, asked her to sit on his lap, removed my pant, and forcefully had her carnal knowledge.
In her testimony before the court, the mother of the victim, said: ‘I was at where I was making cassava flour, my daughter went to where she went to excrete when I went to pack the faeces, I noticed blood in it. Thereafter, I checked her anus and vaginal.
‘I saw blood coming out of the place, I was scared. When I inquired from her, she said it was Usman that put his something to where I was urinating. The matter was reported at Ikere Ekiti Police Station.’
To prove his case, the Prosecutor, K.S. Adeyemo, called five witnesses and tendered defendant’s statement, victim’s statement, and the medical report as exhibits.