A Lagos State High Court sitting at Ikeja on Wednesday sentenced a 33-year-old motorcyclist, Michael Ahmed, to life imprisonment for raping his 21-year-old passenger on an estate.
The victim was raped by the defendant on her way from church.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the defence counsel, Mr Ramon Bashir, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, noting that the defendant had no prior criminal record.
Delivering judgment, Justice Hakeem Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the case against Ahmed beyond reasonable doubt.
“The evidence of the victim is concise and clear, while the defendant’s evidence is distorted before the court.
“He tried to distort the facts in the timing of the incident, how he got to the police station and the name he was called on the day of the incident.
“There is clear evidence before the court that the defendant forced himself on the victim.
“There is also proof before the court that the defendant bit the survivor on the shoulder.
“The defendant is hereby convicted of the two counts of rape and serious assault.
“The court has clearly considered the allocutus presented by the defence counsel,” the judge held.
Justice Oshodi noted that the court had no power to pronounce a lesser sentence for convicts of rape.
He said, “The defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment, which is the statutory sentence for rape and three years jail term for serious assault.
“This should take effect from July 25, 2013, when he was in detention.”
In a related development, a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Wednesday remanded a 20-year-old gateman, David Emmanuel, in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Ado Ekiti, for allegedly raping a primary five pupil.
Emmanuel allegedly committed the offence at the Onigari area of Ado Ekiti on April 4, 2022.
In her statement to the police, the victim said, “My mother sent me on an errand to buy foodstuffs for her. On my way back, I saw the man (defendant) where he was working as a gateman.
“When I greeted him, he held my hand. I thought he was playing with me; he dragged me inside, tied my hands and mouth, undressed me and had sexual intercourse with me. I cried, but nobody heard me because my mouth was tied.”
According to her, at that time, her parents had been searching for her.
“He later carried me and dropped me over the fence inside our compound where I was later found. The case was reported at a police station and he was arrested,” she added.
The Chief Magistrate, Olu Bamidele, ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison for a period of 30 days pending the completion of police investigation.
Bamidele adjourned the matter till May 25, 2022, for mention.
