By Toba Owojaiye | Ado-Ekiti
In a stern verdict aimed at reinforcing the protection of minors, an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced 33-year-old Ajewole Olamilekan to life imprisonment for the rape of a 10-year-old girl.
Truth Live News gathered that the historic judgment, delivered by Justice Adekunle Adeleye, was handed down on Saturday, July 6, 2024, after months of prosecution and deliberation.
Olamilekan and a co-defendant, 25-year-old Omoyajowo Ayo, were initially arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and rape under Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap.C7, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.
The prosecution, led by O.B. Ayeleso, presented compelling evidence, including recorded confessions, forensic medical reports, and witness testimony, to establish the 1st defendant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The court heard from five witnesses and examined material exhibits such as a CD-ROM, a flash drive, and hospital documents confirming the sexual assault.
Ajewole, in his defense, admitted his involvement but argued for the innocence of his co-defendant. His legal team called only one witness and failed to rebut the core of the prosecution’s case.
In his ruling, Justice Adeleye stated:
“I find no inferable circumstance linking the 2nd defendant, Omoyajowo Ayo, to the commission of rape with the 1st defendant. She is hereby acquitted and discharged.”
On the conviction of Olamilekan, the judge was unequivocal:
“The prosecution has established the essential ingredients of the offence of rape against the 1st defendant beyond reasonable doubt. He is found guilty as charged. Consequently, the 1st defendant, Ajewole Olamilekan, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment as provided for by law.”
This ruling sends a strong signal to perpetrators of sexual violence that the era of impunity is nearing its end, especially in states like Ekiti that have domesticated and enforced child protection laws.
Ekiti, like many other Nigerian states, has seen an alarming increase in cases of child rape and abuse, offences that tear at the fabric of society and rob children of their innocence and futures. Legal experts and child rights advocates have lauded the judgment as a timely and necessary deterrent.
Barrister Ronke Fapohunda, a legal child rights activist, commented:
“This is how the law should function: swift, clear, and unyielding in defense of the most vulnerable. Life imprisonment for child rape is not excessive, it is just.”
While justice has been served in this case, the judgment also raises broader questions about the need for strengthened community awareness, school-based education on sexual abuse prevention, and urgent reforms in police response protocols to child rape reports.
The acquittal of Omoyajowo Ayo also underscores the importance of ensuring that justice is not only punitive but fair, sparing the innocent while punishing the guilty.
As Nigeria grapples with a growing epidemic of sexual abuse against minors, rulings like this one from Justice Adeleye must become the norm, not the exception. The judiciary has set a precedent, and society must now follow, by protecting our children, holding predators accountable, and ensuring that no survivor walks alone.
Justice is possible. But it must be pursued.