An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has handed down a life sentence to 25-year-old Fajana Olajide for raping a 17-year-old girl.
Olajide was arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on January 18, 2024, on a one-count charge of rape. The incident occurred on July 14, 2023, in Ikere Ekiti, and Olajide’s actions contravened Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Ekiti State, 2012.
The victim testified in court that she was a student and apprentice learning makeup skills, and was on her way to their shop in the Ijoka area of Ikere Ekiti when the incident occurred.
she said,“I saw the defendant beside the road, he called me when I refused to answer him, he shouted at me and I was afraid, I went to him, and he told me I have a family curse on me that can never make me succeed in life, he ordered me to follow him to his house, he asked me to go and bring some salt, I went home and brought it.
“Thereafter, he ordered me to pull off my clothes and naked, I did so, he gave me an egg to rub all over my body and broke it inside a bucket where he kept black and red thread, he ordered me to lay on the bed and have sexual intercourse with me, he said, I will still need a sum of #16,000 to complete the curse ritual
“I told him I only had N3,000 in my account, I went to collect it from a P.O.S. for him, he collected it and ordered me again to off my cloth and lay on the bed, I did so, but when he wanted to have sex with me again, I became conscious and refused, I left the place.
“He was thereafter calling my phone, I refused to pick up the calls, I narrated what happened to my mother when I got home, despite his warning not to tell anybody because, I would die immediately I opened my mouth to say it, she concluded.”
In order to build his case, Prosecutor Adetola Johnson presented three witnesses and submitted the defendant’s statements as evidence. The defendant, represented by his lawyer, chose to defend himself but did not call any witnesses.
Justice Lekan Ogunmoye in his Judgment said “The inevitable conclusion in the circumstance is that the guilt of the defendant had been established beyond a reasonable doubt, thus necessitating his conviction.
“He is accordingly convicted as charged and hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”
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