Rita Odafe
An NSCDC officer in Nigeria has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, for sexually assaulting a minor.
The officer, Olukayode Dayo, 39, was charged with rape on May 13, 2022.
The charge stated, “Olukayode Dayo, on December 25, 2021, in Ado Ekiti, raped a 13-year-old girl, which is against Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.”
The victim, who lived with her grandmother, recounted in her police statement, “I was sent to get banana and kolanut. On my way, a man called OluKay, who was on a motorcycle, approached me and dropped the items on my head.”
“He forcibly took me to an unfinished building, ignored my cries, removed my pants, and assaulted me. A passerby who heard my cries intervened, causing OluKay to flee. The passerby then took me back to my grandmother.”
The prosecutor, Mr. Julius Ajibare, presented six witnesses and submitted the defendant’s statement, victim photographs, and medical report as evidence.
The defendant, represented by counsel Oluwaseun Oyebanji, denied the accusations but appealed for leniency.
Upon delivering the verdict, Justice Lekan Olatawura emphasized, “The victim consistently identified the defendant as her rapist, leaving no doubt about his guilt.”
Ruling that the prosecution had clearly proven the rape occurred on December 25, 2021, the judge declared, “I find the defendant guilty as charged. Accordingly, he is sentenced to life imprisonment.”
