Ado Ekiti, Nigeria – An Ekiti State High Court recently sentenced two teachers, Ajibola Gbenga (43) and Olaofe Ayodele (52), to 44 years in prison.
Notably, the court delivered the verdict after thorough deliberation, marking a significant legal outcome in the case.
Justice Adeniyi Familoni meticulously evaluated the evidence.
Subsequently, he delivered the judgment regarding the rape and abuse of office charges against the men arraigned on March 2, 2022.
Specifically, the charges revealed that, in November 2019, the two teachers, while serving as public servants, sexually assaulted two minors.
They attacked a 17-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl in separate incidents, which led to their convictions.
These actions were found to be in violation of Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and Section 104 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her testimony, one of the victims recounted how her teacher, Mr. Ajibola Gbenga, had persistently harassed her in class.
On the day of the incident, he instructed her to wear casual clothing.
Additionally, he gave her N200 to wait at a filling station along Bank Road.
Shortly afterward, another student summoned by Mr. Olaofe Ayodele joined her at the same location.
Eventually, both teachers arrived, taking the girls to a hotel in Oke-Ila, Ado Ekiti, where they separated the girls into different rooms and sexually assaulted them.
Following the incident, the victim disclosed that Mr. Gbenga continued to harass her relentlessly.
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Eventually, she confided in her mother, who then reported the matter to the authorities. As a result, they began to take the allegations seriously and investigate.
The prosecution, under the direction of Kunle-Shina Adeyemi, presented a compelling case.
Their evidence included statements from both the victims and defendants, medical reports, and findings from a panel of inquiry, establishing a clear narrative of the events.
The prosecution called four witnesses to corroborate the charges, thus strengthening their case against the defendants.
Meanwhile, the defendants, represented by their lawyer Lawrence Fasanmi, strongly denied all allegations.
They asserted that the accusations stemmed from political motivations.
They called six witnesses and presented exhibits to support their defense.
Justice Familoni condemned the defendants’ actions, asserting they “seared their minds and muffled the voice of conscience.
” Consequently, they exploited their authority to harm students.
He emphasized the need for severe punishment to deter similar behavior in the future.
Ajibola Gbenga received a 20-year prison sentence for the rape of a 17-year-old. Meanwhile, Olaofe Ayodele also got 20 years for raping a 15-year-old. Furthermore, both men were sentenced to an additional two years for abuse of office.
. The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning each defendant will serve a maximum of 22 years in prison.
The ruling has been widely regarded as a significant step toward justice for victims of sexual violence and abuse of power in Ekiti State.
