A High Court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on Tuesday sentenced
a school proprietor, Mr. Babatunde Ibitoye, to 10 years’ imprisonment after
finding him guilty of raping a 10-year-old pupil of his school.
Ibitoye, the owner of God’s Grace Nursery and Primary School,
located in the Agric Olope area of the state, committed the offence on
June 10, 2013.
In her verdict, Justice Toyin Abodunde, said evidence by the
prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the convict had sexually abused
the victim, who was her pupil as of the time the offence was committed.
The trial judge agreed with the Director of Public
Prosecutions and the victim’s evidence that the defendant was caught at the
scene of the incident.
“I rely heavily on the evidence of the victim that the defendant
had been having sexual relationship with her before he was caught. That some of
the teachers even gave evidence that she bled profusely a few days before that
time further confirmed that she had been sexually abused.
“The fact that the defendant was caught pants down was
suffice to prove that the accused committed the offence contrary to Section
31(c)of the Ekiti State Child Rights Law 2013. He is hereby sentenced to 10
years’ imprisonment without option of fine.”
Ibitoye was caught on the June 10, 2013, in a bush near
Fayemi Market, where he was said to have sexually abused the victim under the
guise that he was taking her home after the school hours.
On that day, Ibitoye was said to have taken three other
pupils in his bus and drove towards a bushy area near the market, only to enter
the bush with the victim.
Before entering the bush, Ibitoye reportedly sent other
pupils on different errands.
However, some auto mechanics operating within the vicinity
suspected him and immediately trailed him to the bush where they caught the
convict raping the pupil.
He was apprehended and handed over to the police at the
Ologede station in Ado Ekiti.
The then Governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi, immediately
ordered the closure of the school and had not been reopened since.
The Chairperson, Federation of International Female Lawyers,
Mrs. Rita Ilevbaren, who commended the judgment, urged the victims of rape to
always speak out.
Ilevbaren lauded the state Ministry of Justice, the
judiciary and the victim’s parents for the diligent prosecution of the case.
“This is a landmark in the battle against rape in Ekiti
State,” she added.
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