A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital, has sentenced a 25 years old Tope Sola Ojolo to 21 years and life Imprisonment respectively, for offence of robbery and rape.
The convict was arraigned on two count charge of robbery and rape.
According to the charge, Tope Ojolo on 17th November, 2017, in Ikere Ekiti robbed a 23 year old College of Education, Ikere Ekiti (now Bamidele Olumilua University, Ikere Ekiti) student of her #50,000 sum of money and as well raped her in the operation, contrary to Section 402 (2)(a) and Section 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her testimony before the court, the victim said ” I entered a mini bus (Akoto) that was going from Ikere township to College of Education, now (Bamidele Olumilua University, Ikere Ekiti) around 7:00pm, I was the only one in the bus, when we are almost at the school gate, he drove to a bush path and dragged me to an uncompleted building, he forcefully striped me naked, covered my mouth with his cloth and threatened to kill me if I dare shout.
He raped me twice, I first escaped but gave me hot chase, when I fell, he beat and take me back to the same spot before he raped me the second time, after he satisfied himself, he searched me and my bag, he collected my #50,000 school fees, my necklace worth of #5,000, my phone worth #45,000 and other things I cannot remember, thereafter, he ordered me to put on my clothes and get out of his sight.
” I shouted and wept profusely but nobody came to my rescue. I trekked back to school and told my friends what happened, she concluded.
To proof his case, the State counsel Olawale Fapohunda (SAN) called four witnesses and tendered statements of the defendant, medical report, statements of the victim, paint bucket used during the act, among others as exhibits, while the convict spoke through his counsel Sunday Ochayi and call no witness.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the defendant was accordingly convicted of robbery in Count one and he is also convicted of rape in Count two.
In count one (Robbery),He is sentenced to 21 years Imprisonment, in Count two (Rape) he is also sentenced to life Imprisonment.
Terms are to run concurrently. Ogunmoye said.