An officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was on Tuesday, July 9, handed a life sentence by an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, over the s3xual assault of a minor.

Olukayode Dayo, 39, was arraigned on May 13, 2022, on a count charge of r@pe.

The charge read, “That Olukayode Dayo on December 25, 2021, at Ado Ekiti did r@pe a 13 years old girl. The offence is contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.”

In her statement to the police, the victim who was living with her grandmother, said, “I was sent home to go and bring banana and kolanut. On my way, one man called OluKay (the defendant) crossed me with his motorcycle, he dropped the banana and kolanut on my head.

“He dragged me to a fenced uncompleted building. He did not bother despite my cries. He removed my p@nts and started having s3x with me. It was when a passerby who heard my voice came there that OluKay took to his heels. The man attempted to chase him, but he escaped. The man later took me to my grandmother.”

The prosecutor, Mr Julius Ajibare, called six witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statement, photographs of the victim and medical report as exhibits.

The defendant, who spoke in his defence through his counsel, Oluwaseun Oyebanji, denied committing the offence but pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Lekan Olatawura said, “In this event, the victim consistently, unequivocally and unshakenly stated that the defendant, who was well known to her, was the person who r@ped her”.

The judge, who said that the prosecutor proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant r@ped the minor on December 25, 2021, said, “In all, I find him guilty as charged. Consequent upon the foregoing, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment.”