MAN SENTENCED TO 84 YEARS IN PRISON FOR RAPE, ATTEMPTED MURDER, ROBBERY, OTHERS IN EKITI

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An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced 33-year-old Oluwatuyi Bidemi to 84 years in prison for robbery, attempted murder, and other offenses.

Bidemi was arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on July 21, 2021, facing four charges: attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, and rape.

His actions violated Sections 320, 402 (1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, Section 2 of the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No. 18 of 2019, and Section 3 of Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, No. 12 of 2015.

The charges state that on July 7, 2021, in Omuo Ekiti, the defendant attempted to murder Abiodun Agnes, robbed her of her phone, charger, wristwatch, ATM cards, and other items, and also kidnapped and raped her on the same day and location.

In her evidence before the court, the victim said, ”I am a civil servant, I was going to the office through a bush path around 8:00am, other residents are also passing there, suddenly, somebody held my neck from behind, I could barely breath when he dragged me into the bush, he tied and inserted a handkerchief into my mouth, he collected my wrist watch, phone, charger, ATM Cards etc, he held my neck again and I became unconscious when I gained consciousness, I discovered he had raped me while my armpit and private part hairs had been shaved.”

At that point, he had already left, and I saw people passing by, but I couldn’t shout because my mouth was gagged with cloth. I later managed to crawl out, where some passersby found me and took me to the hospital.

I was in the bush from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. When I described the defendant, some people recognized him, and he was eventually arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Omuo Ekiti, she concluded.

To support her case, the prosecutor, Oluwaseun Olasanmi, called four witnesses and presented the defendant’s statements and medical report, among other exhibits. The defendant defended himself through his lawyer, Charles Ayobioloja, who did not call any witnesses but asked the court to show mercy in delivering its judgment.

In his judgement, Justice Familoni said, ”it is my findings that the prosecution has proved the offences of attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping and rape against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt in this case.

”The sole issue for determination is resolved in favour of the prosecution. Accordingly, He is convicted on all the counts as charged.

”The defendant is sentenced to 21 years imprisonment on each of the four counts without the option of fine.

The sentences are to run concurrently with effect from the date of arrest and detention of the defendant”, the judge pronounced.