Court sentences man to 19-yr imprisonment for rape

A young man, Sheriff Oyewole, found guilty of rape, has been sentenced to 19 years imprisonment by Chief Magistrate, Kikelomo Ayeye, of the Tinubu magistrates’ court.

The convict was charged on a 12-count offences contrary to and punishable by Section 258, 171, 241, 271(a)(c), 272, 220, 144, 261, 263, 316, 337(7), 134(2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

The offences were unlawful sexual intercourse, detaining to have unlawful sex in a hotel room, engaging in sexual activities without consent, assault and sexual assault, unlawfully administering poison, taking nude pictures of a girl and threatening to use the picture to cause injury to her reputation.

The trial magistrate found him guilty of five counts out of the 12 counts on which he was arraigned by police.

Delivering its judgment, the court said: “the sole issue for determination here is whether the prosecution has proved each of the 12 count offences alleged against the defendant herein beyond reasonable doubt.

“In every criminal matter, onus of proof is at all times on the prosecution, which onus is discharged on the establishment of the essential elements of the alleged offences.

“Prosecution has thus proved counts one, two, seven, eight and nine offences against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

“The defendant is hereby convicted and sentenced as follows: unlawful sexual intercourse five years; detaining to have unlawful sex in a hotel room, five years; engaging in sexual activities without consent, five years, assault one year and sexual assault, three years.

The jail term will run concurrently, starting from first date of arraignment,” she said.

During the trial, prosecution called four witnesses and tendered five exhibits.

The first prosecution witness was the victim, who in her evidence in chief, painted the picture of how the incident occurred.

She told the court that she had known Oyewole for over 10 years and that her father accommodated the defendant in their house on the recommendation of a friend who resides on the same street.

She explained that the defendant was more or less like a brother to her.

“I took a bottle of Baileys, and at about 7.30 p.m.,  I told the defendant I needed to start going home, but the defendant told me to hold on that he needed to lodge three of his friends in an hotel in the neighborhood and to ensure they were settled in the hotel,” the victim said.

She said because of the trust she had in him, she followed him upstairs and at that time, she was already feeling dizzy.

“After sometimes, the defendant returned to the room and locked the door and started harassing me. I tried to escape but he overpowered me and ripped me of myunderwear, bra and tights and he soaked the clothes in water in the bathroom, then I fainted and then he raped me,” she added.

Under cross examination, the victim stated that the defendant raped her and also took her nude pictures with a threat to post her pictures on the social media.