An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced two men, Anu Olaniyi and Abidemi Alibaloye, to life imprisonment for gang-r3ping a 13-year-old girl. The convicts committed the crime on December 28, 2020, and were charged with conspiracy and gang r3pe.
During the trial, the victim recounted how one of the convicts lured her to his friend’s house, where both men forcibly assaulted her. She stated, “I was sent on an errand on 28th December 2020 when one of the convicts intercepted me and purposely directed me to his friend’s place where they both forcibly had carnal knowledge of me one after the other.”
The Director of Public Prosecution, Julius Ajibare, presented four witnesses and seven exhibits to prove the case, while the defendants, represented by their counsel, Oluwafemi Alonge, testified in their defense without calling additional witnesses.
Justice Adekunle Adeleye ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges of gang r3pe and conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt. He sentenced each defendant to life imprisonment for gang r3pe and two years imprisonment for conspiracy. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The case highlights the severity of gender-based violence and the judiciary’s commitment to delivering justice for victims, particularly minors.
