23-Year-Old Bags 12 Years For Raping Woman In Purdah

A 23-year-old man, Idris Rasheed, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for raping a woman in purdah.

He was sentenced by an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Wednesday.

The trial judge, Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi, said since the convict confessed to the crime while the doctor’s report confirmed penetration and semen was found, Rasheed was guilty of the charge.

The judge thereafter sentenced the defendant to 12 years imprisonment.

Ajayi said the jail term would commence on January 29, 2023, when the convict would arraigned in court.

During his plea, the defence counsel, Mr. O. Ekundayo, said the convict had spent 19 months and nine days at Agodi prison.

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Ekundayo said the convict had conducted himself in a manner most reasonably expected of him and has learnt his lesson.

“The defendant is at the mercy of the court, based on the fact before my noble Lord, I prayed the court to exercise the judicial dexterity and clemency on the convict,” Ekundayo said.

The prosecution led by Mrs. K. Oloso-Olayiwola, Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, earlier told the court that the convict, a resident of Abayomi area, Iwo Road, Ibadan, was charged with rape.

Oloso-Olayiwola said the convict raped the victim, 29, a petty trader and a divorcee, about 10p.m. while she was on her way home.

The prosecutor said the victim had approached the convict to show her the nearest mosque where she could pass the night.

She said it was while the convict wanted to show her the nearest mosque that the convict gripped her neck and flung her to the ground beside the road and raped her.

Oloso-Olayiwola said the offence was contrary to Section 357 and punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State 2000.