A retired 60 year old Vice-principal in Ekiti, was yesterday sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail for raping a 12-year-old pupil in his office in 2014.
The accused, Taiwo Ajayi, who was the Vice-Principal (Academic) of St. Mary’s Girls Grammar School, Ikole-Ekiti. On March 18, 2012, he invited a 12-year-old pupil into his office, locked the door and raped her.
An Ekiti State High Court heard that Ajayi, gagged the pupil with a piece of cloth to stop her from screaming.
The court found Ajayi guilty of raping a minor contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State, 2012, the Punch reports.
Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde on Thursday held that base on the strength of the evidence presented to the court, the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecution led by Mr. A.E Arogundade of the state’s Ministry of Justice, presented a medical report, the statement of the accused, report of the panels set up by the state teaching service commission and the statement of the victim before the court.
The convict was first arraigned on October 14, 2016, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Abodunde said;
“Cases of child defilement have been on the increase lately and to serve as a deterrent to others, my view is that the punishment stipulated by the law was deliberate to deter the offence and protect the rights of the child.
“The defence counsel is pleading for leniency and praying for a fine instead of the due punishment. My question is; who pays the victim for the lifetime scar of the trauma and torture of rape?
“I am unable to deviate from the provisions of the law in this instance. The defendant is found guilty as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment.”