Driver jailed for raping Ekiti student passenger twice

An Ado-Ekiti High Court has sentenced a 25-year-old driver, Tope Ojolo, to life imprisonment for raping a student of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti (now Bamidele Olumilua University).

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Ojolo was also sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment for robbing the student of N50,000.

The convict was arraigned on two counts of rape and robbery.

According to the charge, Ojolo on November 17, 2017, robbed the 23-year-old student of N50,000 at Ikere-Ekiti and also raped her.

The offences are said to be contrary to sections 402 (2)(a) and 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

In her testimony before the court, the victim said she entered a mini-bus, popularly known as Akoto, from Ikere town to the college around 7pm on the day of the incident.

She said she was the only passenger in the mini-bus, adding that while almost at the school gate, Ojolo drove her to a bush path and dragged her to an uncompleted building.

“He (convict) forcefully stripped me naked, covered my mouth with his clothes and threatened to kill me if I dared shout, after which he raped me twice.

“I first escaped, but he gave me a hot chase. When I fell, he beat me and took me back to the same spot after which he raped me for the second time.

“After satisfying himself, he searched me and my bag, and collected the N50,000 meant for my school fees; my necklace, worth of N5,000; my phone, worth N45,000; and other things that I cannot remember.

“He, thereafter, ordered me to put on my clothes and get out of his sight.

“I shouted and wept profusely, but there was nobody to come to my rescue. I trekked back to school and told my friends what happened,” she stated.

The state counsel, Olawale Fapohunda, called four witnesses and tendered the statements of the defendant, a medical report, statements of the victim and the paint bucket used during the act, among others, as exhibits.

The convict spoke through his counsel, Sunday Ochayi, and called no witness.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said he found the convict guilty as charged and accordingly convicted him of robbery and rape.

Ogunmoye sentenced Ojolo to 21 years’ imprisonment on count one (robbery) and life imprisonment on count two (rape).

He ordered that the terms run concurrently.