Victim recounts ordeal as 56-year-old man bags life imprisonment for raping stepdaughter

A High Court sitting in Ado-EKiti, the capital of Ekiti State, on Monday, May 26, 2025, sentenced a 56-year-old man, Jayeoba Oluwafemi, to life imprisonment for defiling his 14-year-old stepdaughter.

The 56-year-old man was arraigned before Justice Adekunle Adeleye on  December 4, 2020, on one count charge of defilement.

The victim’s testimony before the court said: “My mother got married to the defendant; we were not living together but he used to sleep in our house, especially when my mother was not at home or travelled.

“On October 26, 2020, my mother travelled to Lagos and the defendant slept in our house. At midnight, he forcefully had sex with me and thereafter, blood was gushing out of my virgina.

“I called my mother the following morning to inform her but the defendant denied.

“He continued this act anytime my mother was not around and I used to tell my mother on her arrival but she did nothing about it.

“When he noticed that I was telling my mother about his continuous sexual activity with me, he started threatening me.

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“One day, he wanted to beat me and I ran out of the house. I met one woman on the road and I told her what happened and she directed me to the governor’s office to lodge official complain which led to his arrest.”

Delivering judgement on Monday, Justice Adeleye said: “I am of the humble view that the sexual intercourse sessions were on several occasions, it was not a one-off affair.

“And upon careful analysis of the entire circumstance of this case, the change in story or outright denial by the defendant is an afterthought.

“The prosecution has established the offence of defilement against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

“He is accordingly found guilty as charged and hereby sentenced to life imprisonment as provided for under the provisions of Section 31 (2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Law of Ekiti State, 2012.”

The Star