The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, sentenced a 71-year-old man, Sule Adeola, to life imprisonment for raping his friend’s granddaughter.

The 71-year-old man was arraigned before Justice Blessing Ajileye on June 22, 2023, on a charge of raping his friend’s granddaughter.

The charge read that Adeola, on June 2, 2023, at the Federal Housing Estate in Ado-Ekiti raped a 10-year-old girl.

The charge stated that the offence contravenes Section 31 (1) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

In a testimony before the court, the girl said: “My mother is late and my father lives in Abeokuta. I am living with my grandmother. Daddy Sule is my grandmother’s neighbour.

“Anytime I was sent on an errand, he would call me to his room, ask me to lie on his bed, pull down my pants, and insert his penis in my vagina.

“He has been doing this every week since 2021.

Court sends man to prison for raping daughter

“I felt so much pain anytime he did it, but I did not tell my grandmother because Daddy Sule said he would kill me.”

Prosecutor Julius Ajibare called four witnesses and tendered the survivor’s statement and medical report as exhibits.

The defence counsel, Adelphi Ayobiooloja, led the 71-year-old man in evidence and called three witnesses.

Delivering judgement on Wednesday, Justice Ajileye said: “It is unfortunate and saddening that recorded cases of intimate person’s sexual assault hit new high every day.

“From the totality of evidence on record, I am more persuaded by the prosecution’s evidence that there was proof of penetration; there is no scintilla of evidence available on the contrary.

“In all, I found that the prosecution proved the most essential ingredient of rape, which is penetration. The defendant penetrated the vagina of the victim and I so hold.

“The defendant, Sule Adeola, is found guilty of the offence of rape of a 10-year-old girl as charged. He is accordingly sentenced to life imprisonment.”

The Star