For defiling a 12-year-old girl, one Innocent Eze has been jailed eight years by an Ado-Ekiti High Court.
Eze, a native of Nsukka, Enugu State, who lives in Ijan-Ekiti, Gboyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State with the victim, Ruth, on August 31, 2011, forcefully had carnal knowledge of the girl who lived in the same neighbourhood.
According to the prosecutor, the victim had gone to fetch water at a well in the neighbourhood when Eze dragged her into his room and had sexual intercourse with her.
Ruth, who testified in court, told the presiding judge, Justice Adekanye Ogunmoye, how the convict dragged her into his room while fetching water and stuffed her private part with a cloth when she started bleeding profusely and later gave her N100 to buy drugs to treat herself.
Dr Oluwagbemiga Alade of Ijan General Hospital, who attended to the girl after the incident, also gave medical evidence to support the allegation of rape against Eze.
The convict was sentenced to one year imprisonment for indecent assault, while he bagged seven years jail term for defilement in a two-count charge.
Both offences are contrary to Sections 360 and 218 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The plea by Eze’s lawyer for the court to temper justice with mercy angered Justice Ogunmoye, who described the crime as barbaric.
His words: “It’s unfortunate that a 12-year-old girl would have been sexually defiled as was done to the victim in this case. It is more unfortunate that the matter came to the public domain.
“The convict by his act had succeeded in placing a stigma on the person of the victim, which may take a long time to erase. The trauma suffered by the victim is definitely such as would take a longer time to forget.
“The act of the convict is not such that should be encouraged. This is definitely a barbaric act and the sentence must be such as would serve as a deterrent to the convict and others who still harbour similar tendencies.”
