An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has ordered that a 17-year-old boy be detained at the Juvenile Centre, Ado Ekiti at the pleasure of the governor.
The teenager, according to the charge, on the 30th of May, 2020 at Osi Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of the court, did rape a 3-year-old girl, contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap.C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her testimony before the court, the victim’s mother, Olaniran Elizabeth, said, “I went out to hawk fish on that day and returned around 5:00pm, only to discover that my daughter’s movement was unstable. While checking her underwear inside the room, I discovered bloodstains and semen on her laps, when I inquired, she pointed and mentioned the detainee’s name to have done it to her. Some people in the neighborhood testified to seeing my daughter playing around with the detainee, he initially denied the offence but later confessed to the Police at Ido Ekiti.”
Counsel to the defendant, Paul Ayantoyinbo, prayed the court to consider the defendant’s age who was only fifteen years at the time of commission of the offence and temper justice with mercy.
In his judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye said ‘’On the whole, the prosecution has established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant raped the minor. The defendant as prayed by his counsel has not attained the age of majority at the time the offence of rape was committed. On the premise, I hereby order that the defendant be detained at the Juvenile Centre, Ado Ekiti at the pleasure of the Governor,” he concluded.
To prove his case, the prosecutor, SBJ Bamise called two witnesses, including a medical doctor and tendered the defendant’s statements, his birth certificate, medical report, among others as exhibits.
The defendant spoke in his own defense and called no witness.
