The Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced two teachers, Gbenga Ajibola, 43, and Olaofe Ayodele, 52, to 22 years imprisonment each for the r@pe of two female students.
Justice Adeniyi Familoni, who presided over the case, delivered the verdict today, stating that the teachers had betrayed their positions of trust and subjected their victims to unimaginable trauma.
The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemi, told the court that the defendants were arraigned on March 2, 2022, on a three-count charge of rape and abuse of office.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred in November 2019 in Ado Ekiti, where the two teachers lured the victims—aged 17 and 15—to a hotel and raped them.
The prosecution presented substantial evidence, including statements from the victims and defendants, medical reports, and findings from a panel of inquiry.
One of the victims recounted how Ajibola, her computer teacher, persistently harassed her in class before coercing her into meeting him at a fuel station. She was later taken to a hotel, where the crime was committed.
The defense counsel, Lawrence Fasanmi, called six witnesses in an attempt to prove his clients’ innocence. However, the court found the evidence against the defendants overwhelming.
In his judgment, Justice Familoni condemned the actions of the teachers, stating that they had “shared their minds and numbed the voice of conscience” in exploiting their students.
He emphasized the need for a severe sanction to serve as a deterrent to others.
The court sentenced each defendant to 20 years imprisonment for rape and an additional two years for abuse of office. The sentences are to run concurrently, without an option of fine.
The ruling has been widely applauded as a step toward justice for victims of sexual abuse and a warning against the exploitation of minors.