19 yr old gets life imprisonment for raping a 35 yr old woman

  John Julius, a 19-year-old man, was arrested, charged to court and sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 35-year-old woman, Alice Ozar.

 

Justice John Adeyeye of an Ado-Ekiti High Court, found Julius guilty of raping Ozar on her farm in Efon Alaaye, in Efon local Government Area of the state, on Monday.

 

Justice Adeyeye said the offence contradicted Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of Criminal Code Cap 16 Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria 2012.

 

Julius committed the offence on 16th July, 2016 at Okemesi Road in Efon Alaaye while the convict was first arraigned in court on 7th March, 2017.

 

He pleaded not guilty to the charges of rape and assault with intent to commit unnatural offence preferred against him.

The prosecution called three witnesses including the victim and tendered exhibits including the convict’s statement and victim’s pant were tendered and admitted.

 

Julius called his mother as a witness and also spoke in his own defence in the course of the trial.

 

The victim told the court that she was working on her farm on the fateful day while the convict pretended as if he wanted to help her which she obliged.

 

Ozar revealed that Julius kicked her and she fell to the ground after which he pressed her to the ground, tore her undies and had carnal knowledge of her.

 

Justice Adeyeye held: “Unfortunately it will appear I have no discretion on the issue of sentence in view of the decision of the Supreme Court in Lucky v State (Supra) where it was held thus: ‘Any person who commits the offence of rape be liable to imprisonment for life.

 

“Once the court convicts an accused person for the offence of rape as defined in Section 357 of the Code, it has no discretion but is bound to obey the law by imposing a term of imprisonment for life.

 

“Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.