An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has convicted Olarewaju Seun, 20, to 30 months in prison for raping a three-year-old girl.
On June 6, 2022, the convict was arraigned in court on a single rape accusation.
The charge read, “That Olarewaju Seun, on August 6, 2021, in Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this court, raped a three-year-old girl in violation of Section 31(1) of Child Right Law, Cap C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The victim’s mother stated in court that her daughter refused to allow her to wash her private parts while bathing her, adding that “when I checked, I saw it red and swollen, and I was so scared.” When I asked what happened to her bum bum, she kept saying, ‘It was Seun’.”
The mom stated that after she had a complete picture of what occurred to her daughter, she reported it to the police, who eventually took over the case.
The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, questioned three witnesses and presented the defendant’s statement, photos of the victim and defendant, and a medical report as exhibits.
The defendant, speaking through his counsel, Ekene Luke, urged the court to balance justice and mercy and called four witnesses.
Justice Familoni delivered his verdict on Thursday, saying, “I feel 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 in jail.
“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 fine. The sentence is to run effectively from September 20, 2021 when he was rearrested by the police and kept in detention.”