Septuagenarian Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Defiling Two Minors

 

An Osun High Court sitting in llesha has sentenced a septuagenarian, Chief Moses Adeniyi, to seven years imprisonment for having a carnal knowledge of two minors.

Adeniyi, a Chief in Ilesha, with the chieftaincy title, Loja Araromi Otokobo, was accused of raping two girls who were 13 and 14 years, respectively in his hotel in the town. Adeniyi, who was first arraigned on March 28, 2011, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Judge, Justice Kudirat Akano, in her judgment, said the prosecuting counsel had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt. Akano said the convict was guilty of the charge and consequently sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.

The Prosecutor, Tijani Adekilekun, said the offence of rape contravened Sections 358 and 360 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 vol.11 Laws of Osun State.

Adekilekun said that the convict raped the minors in his hotel in Ilesa in May 2010 after picking them on their way from school.

“The minor accepted the offer because one of the girls’ parents was once a neigbhour to the convict. But instead of the convict dropping the girls at their homes, he took them to his hotel, Prince Way Hotel, Ilesha. He ushered the girls into one of the rooms in the hotel and told them not to shout, warning them that if they do, they will die. 

The convict thereafter raped the minors in turns after which he wiped their vagina with a white handkerchief and warned them not to tell anyone otherwise they will die,” Adekilekun told the court.

He further told the court that the secret became opened when one of the girls’ mothers was informed by another student that a man gave the two girls a ride on their way home from school the previous day. Adekilekun said the woman then went to the school to inquire from the teachers.

“The girls were afraid to reveal the identity of their rapist because they were told they will die if they told anyone. It was after much assurance that the girls will not die before they narrated the whole story to their parents.”

The defence counsel, Sokoya Ayodeji, said he would appeal against the judgment.