Delta: 40-year-old man bags 10 years for sexual assault

Justice O. F. Enenmo of Kwale High Court, Delta State, has sentenced a 40-year- old man, Olawale Ayeni, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for sexually assaulting a married woman.

The court also ordered that the convict, Olawale Ayeni, be immediately registered in Delta State Sex Offenders’ Register with his details uploaded to the national database, in line with the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2020.

Ayeni was arraigned on one count charge of sexual assault, punishable under section 358 of the Criminal Law Code Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006.

The prosecution led by Deputy Director in the state’s Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Ejovwokwe Arhuere Oghorodje, told the court that the convict had carnal knowledge of the married woman without her consent on July 11, 2020, at Irri, in Isoko South Local Council of the state.

The prosecutor called three witnesses and tendered the confessional statement of the defendant and the medical report of the victim.

The victim told the court that she was in the house feeding her baby when Ayeni came and asked to see her.

She reportedly told the convict to wait, but he persisted and asked her to come out.

She further stated that as soon as she stepped out from her apartment to meet the convict, he blew a whitish substance on her face.

According to her, the only thing she could remember thereafter was seeing herself seated in the Ayeni’s house.

“The convict then cut my face and back with razor blade and proceeded to have carnal knowledge of me, without my consent.

“He warned and threatened me not to tell my husband or anybody about the incident.

“But I reported the matter to my husband’s relatives and the local vigilante, who later arrested and handed him over to the police, where he made confessional statement,” the victim added.

In his defence, the convict pleaded not guilty to the charge, retracted his confessional statement, and told the court that he knew the victim, as someone who brings customers who want traditional medicine.

He stated that on July 8, 2020, she came to his house and requested him to prepare medicine that she will use to defraud men.

Ayeni said he charged the victim N28,000, which she was unable to pay. But, She came back the following day and requested him to use his own money to prepare the charm, but he refused.

He denied making any incision on any part of her body or putting any medicine into her mouth, nor had sexual intercourse with her.

While delivering his judgment, Justice Enemo, said he believed the evidence of the prosecution witnesses, stressing that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

He, therefore, dismissed Ayeni’s defence and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour.