In a ruling on Tuesday, an Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti Division sentenced Sunday Asere, a 24 year old man, to 14 years imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl.
Sunday Asere was charged with rape on March 22, 2022, and was subsequently brought before the Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division.
The charge read, “The defendant sometime in January 2020 at Moferere in Ado Ekiti, did rape a six-year-old girl.
“The offence is contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.”
The six-year-old victim, who testified that she was a primary one pupil at the time of the incident, stated that Sunday Asere, who lived in their neighborhood, would take advantage of her mother’s absence to sexually assault her by inappropriately touching her private parts.
The young victim revealed that although the defendant’s actions caused her pain, she did not confide in her mother, citing fear of her harsh reaction as the reason for her silence.
Eventually, on January 14, 2020, the victim mustered the courage to reveal the abuse to her father, who had come to visit her at school the day after the defendant’s most recent assault. Following her disclosure, the victim’s father reported the incident to the police.
To support the prosecution’s case, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, the State’s attorney, presented six witnesses and introduced the defendant’s statement and the victim’s medical report as exhibits.
Sunday Asere, who was represented by his lawyer, Adedayo Adewumi, chose not to call any witnesses to testify in his defense during the trial.
In his ruling, Justice Adekunle Adeleye noted that the medical examination of the victim had revealed evidence of likely sexual abuse, but no conclusive evidence of vaginal penetration, consequently supporting the charge of sexual assault against Sunday Asere.
Adeleye noted that from the circumstances, the prosecution was able to establish sexual assault, adding, “The defendant is liable for imprisonment for a term of 14 years.
The judgement reads, “Accordingly, the defendant is hereby sentenced to imprisonment for 14 years.”
