An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday sentenced two men, Anu Olaniyi and Abidemi Alibaloye, to life and two years imprisonment respectively for conspiracy against gang-raping a 13-year-old girl.
Salient Times gathered that the convicts, who committed the offenses on December 28, 2020, were arraigned in court on the charges of conspiracy and gang rape.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, said the offenses committed were contrary to Section 421 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021 and Section 2(2)(c) of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) (First Amendment) Law, 2020.
During the hearing, the victim told the court that she was sent on an errand on December 28, 2020, when one of the convicts intercepted her and purposely directed her to his friend’s place, where they both forcibly had carnal knowledge of her, one after the other.
The victim said she went home teary-eyed and informed her mother of what had happened, and she was able to recognize both convicts, who were later arrested and charged to court.
Ajibare called four witnesses and tendered seven exhibits in support of his case.
But the defendants, who spoke through their counsel, Oluwafemi Alonge, gave evidence in their defence and called no witnesses.
In the judgement, Justice Adekunle Adeleye held that the prosecution proved the offense of gang rape and conspiracy against the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge consequently convicted the defendants and sentenced each of them to life imprisonment for gang rape and two years imprisonment for conspiracy
