A 26-year-old man identified as Ajikawo Oluwatosin, was on Wednesday sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with flogging for trying to rape a woman and a further two years for causing grievous bodily harm to the victim.
According to report, the convict had appeared before Justice Olalekan Olatawura of Ekiti High Court on December 16, 2021 on a two-count charge of attempting to rape and seriously injuring Kolawole Omotola.
In his judgment, the judge found Mr Ajikawo guilty on the two counts. For this reason, Mr. Olatawura sentenced him to 14-years imprisonment with flogging for the first offence and a two-year prison term for the second count of causing great bodily harm.
However, the judge ordered that the sentences be served concurrently. According to Olasanmi Oluwaseun, the prosecution counsel, the convict attempted to rape Kolawole Omotola on February 13, 2021 at Ado-Ekiti, thereby causing her severe injuries.
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Ms Oluwaseun said that the offences contravened Sections 359 and 335 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. In order to support her case, the prosecutor called two witnesses and submitted the defendant’s, witness, and victim’s testimonies as exhibits.
In her testimony before the court, the victim said, “I was sleeping around 11:00 p.m, I heard a bang at my door. I woke up to know what was happening. The defendant suddenly emerged with a knife. He ordered me to lie down on the bed, but I declined.
“He started hitting my head on the wall and punching me in the face. I was shouting loudly. This attracted the attention of my neighbours who came to my rescue after he had overpowered me.
“He was then handed over to the police, while I was taken to the hospital for medical treatment due to knife and bodily injury I sustained during the struggle,” she told the court.
In his defence, the convict admitted and confessed to have committed the offences.
The convict had told the court: ‘’When I broke to her house, I wanted to have sex with her, because she looked sexy and beautiful.
“It was painful for me not have succeeded in having sex with her. I overpowered her, but she was rescued by her neighbours.”
