A popular pastor in Ekiti State, Adeleye Akingbaso, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 13-year-old girl.
Akingbaso was first arraigned in September 2022 before Justice Blessing Ajileye of the Ekiti High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on a two-count charge of rape and coercion.
Delivering her judgment on Monday, Justice Ajileye said, “In conclusion, this court has found the defendant guilty on the two-count charge of rape and coercion and convicted him accordingly.”
She said this would serve as a deterrent to others in the class of the convict who have not been caught up with nemesis.
During the trial, the Prosecution Counsel, Taiwo Ajibulu, told the court that the convict committed the offences sometime in July 2022, in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that the defendant raped the 13-year-old girl (names withheld) and also coerced the victim to engage in sexual acts to the detriment of her physical and psychological well-being.
According to him, the offences contravened Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019.
To prove its case, the prosecutor called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement and the girl’s medical report as exhibits.
