An Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday sentenced a school proprietor, Ibitoye Babatunde, to 10 years imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old girl.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the convict is the proprietor of God is Great Nursery and Primary school, Ado-Ekiti.
In his judgment, Justice Mosun Abodunde said that the prosecution had established the case of rape beyond reasonable doubt.
Abodunde described the convict as a pathological liar, randy, shameless adult who is a danger to girl-child around him, including his own female children.
“The court must rise up to give the needed defence to the voiceless children,” she added.
Abodunde said the court cannot watch sexual violence against anyone, if proved, to go unpunished.
“Teachers, proprietors, parents are meant to be destiny moulders and not destiny destroyers or wasters,” she said.
The judge also said that the menace of rape, defilement and sexual assault is on alarming increase in the society.
The court found the accused guilty and convicted as charged in accordance with provisions of SS 2(2) Child’s Rights Laws, 2006,Ekiti State, Nigeria.
The judge sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The State Counsel, Oluseyi Ojo, had told the court that the accused had been assaulting the victim until he raped her on June 10 in the school premises.
Ojo called four witnesses to prove her case, among them the victim, her step mother and a medical doctor.
The state counsel said the convict committed an offence, which was contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Laws of Ekiti State.
Also, counsel to the accused, Emmanuel Adedeji, called three witnesses to prove his client’s innocence.
NAN
