Man gets 12-month jail term for raping teenager

The Ondo State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, has sentenced a man, Stephanus Stephen, to 12 months’ imprisonment for raping a 15-year-old girl.

According to The Punch, the convict was arrested and charged to court for having carnal knowledge of the teenager between February and May 2022 on Morolayo Street, Valentino, Ondo State.

During the arraignment, the prosecutor, Mr Benard Olagbayi, told the court that the convict molested the victim on different occasions.

The charge read in part, “That you, Stephanus Stephen, between February and May 2022 on Morobayo Street, Valentine, Ondo, in the Ondo Magisterial District, did unlawfully have carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old girl (names withheld), thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 221(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

Olagbayi prayed the court to sentence the 20-year-old man, who was not legally represented in court.

The magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment without an option of a fine.

Narrating her ordeal, the victim said, “I was asleep in our living room when Stephen came to meet me and started touching me. I was scared. So, I started shouting; but nobody was around. It was just myself and him in the house.

“He forced himself on me and raped me. He was much stronger than me. He also told me not to talk and that if I should tell anyone, he would kill me. I was scared to tell anybody because of his threat.”