An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has sentenced a 23-year-old man, Idris Rasheed, to 12 years in prison for raping a woman in purdah. The judgment, delivered yesterday by Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi, followed Rasheed’s confession to the crime and corroborating medical evidence, which confirmed penetration and the presence of semen.
Justice Ajayi declared Rasheed guilty and handed down the 12-year sentence, which is to take effect from January 29, 2023—the date he was first arraigned. In her ruling, the judge emphasized that the evidence presented in court left no doubt about the defendant’s guilt.
During the sentencing, Rasheed’s counsel, Mr. O. Ekundayo, pleaded for leniency, highlighting that the convict had already spent 19 months and nine days in custody at Agodi Prison. Ekundayo argued that Rasheed had endured the pains of incarceration, learned his lesson, and conducted himself respectfully while in detention. He urged the court to show clemency, describing his client as a remorseful individual who was not a fugitive before or during the case.
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However, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. K. Oloso-Olayiwola, presented a chilling account of the crime. She revealed that Rasheed, a resident of Abayomi area, Iwo Road, Ibadan, attacked the victim, a 29-year-old petty trader and divorcee, around 10 p.m. The victim, seeking a safe place to spend the night, had approached Rasheed for directions to the nearest mosque. Instead of helping, Rasheed violently assaulted her, gripping her neck, throwing her to the ground, and raping her.
The prosecution noted that Rasheed’s actions violated Section 357 and are punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State 2000.
