An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 47-year-old cleric, Prophet Adeleye Akingbaso, to life imprisonment for r@ping a 13-year-old girl.
The court, presided over by Justice Blessing Ajileye, delivered the judgment on Monday, convicting Akingbaso on a two-count charge of rape and coercion.
The convict was first arraigned in September 2022, with the prosecution stating that he committed the crime in July 2022.
According to the charge sheet, he sexually assaulted the minor under the guise of delivering her spiritually. The charge also indicated that in July 2021, the cleric coerced the victim into sexual acts, causing her psychological and physical harm.
The offences contravened Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019.
During the trial, the victim narrated how Akingbaso, who was a friend of her mother, took advantage of her while she was alone at home.
“He woke me up at midnight, claiming I had bed-wetted, which I found strange. He then applied shea butter on my private part, and that was all I remembered. The next thing I knew, I had been raped. He threatened to curse me and said I would die if I told anyone,” she told the court.
She further recounted how he attempted to assault her again the next day while her mother was away, but she managed to escape and raise the alarm, prompting neighbors to intervene. Her mother later reported the incident to the police.
The prosecution, led by Taiwo Ariyo, presented four witnesses, alongside the victim’s statement and a medical report, as evidence against the cleric. The defence, represented by lawyer Adelanke Akinrata, did not call any witnesses.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ajileye found the cleric guilty on both counts, stating that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.
“In conclusion, this court finds the defendant guilty of the charges of rape and coercion. He is sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and three years imprisonment for coercion. Both sentences shall run concurrently,” the judge ruled.