An Ekiti State High Court wasn’t shy on Thursday when it sentenced a former Vice Principal to life imprisonment for raping a 12-year-old student of his former school.
The convict, Taiwo Ajayi, was the VP of St. Mary’s Girls Grammar School, Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti state.
National Daily gathered that Ajayi lured the girl, whose name was not disclosed into his office, and locked the door from behind before raping her.
To prevent people from hearing, he blocked the girl’s mouth with a cloth after he laid him on the table.
It was learnt that while committing the act, one of the teachers knocked at the door but the VP refused to open the door but instead threatened to deal with the pupil if she told anybody.
As a result of oral confession and other overwhelming evidences, the court found Ajayi guilty of raping a minor contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child Rights Law of Ekiti State 2012.
It was learnt that the convict was the Vice Principal (Academics) at the time he committed the offence on March 18, 2014.
Giving evidence, two teachers were said to have stormed the victim’s office and knocked severally but the convict refused to open compelling them force their way in after about 30 minutes only to discover that the Vice Principal was having carnal knowledge of the girl.
Justice Monisola Abodunde held that the prosecution had proved the case beyond every reasonable doubt on the strength of evidence placed before the court.
The prosecution was led by Mr. A.E. Arogundade of the Ministry of Justice while the defence was led by Mr. Sule Longe.
National Daily gathered that the convict was first arraigned in court on October 14, 2016 and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Abodunde was said to have rejected the convict’s counsel’s plea for leniency on grounds that his client was first offender, father and breadwinner of an aged mother.
Justice Abodunde held: “The cases of child dfilement has been on the increase lately and to serve as a deterrent to others, my view is that the punishment stipulated by the lawmakers was deliberate to deter the offence and protect the right to dignity of the child.
“I am unable to deviate from the provisions of the law in this instant. The defendant is found guilty as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment.”
The prosecution called eight witnesses including a medical practitioner from the State University Teaching Hospital, police officers who investigated the case, two other pupils and a teacher in the school.
Exhibits tendered include a medical report, statement of the accused, report of the panels set up by the school authorities and Teaching Service Commission, medical report from the police clinic, statement of the victim, among others.
The two panels set up to investigate the matter indicted Ajayi which led to his suspension from service after which he was arrested and arraigned to face the charge.