An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 33-year-old man named Oluwatuyi Bidemi to 84 years imprisonment for robbery and attempted murder amongst other charges.
The defendant who was first arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on 21 July 2021 on four-count charges of attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, and rape is said to have committed the crime on 7th July 2021 at Omuo Ekiti when he tried to murder one Miss Abiodun Agnes, and also rob her of her phone, charger, wristwatch, ATM cards amongst other items in addition to kidnapping and raping the victim on the same date and place.
In her evidence before the court, the victim said, ”I am a civil servant, I was going to the office through a bush path around 8:00 am, other residents were also passing there, suddenly, somebody held my neck from behind, I could barely breath when he dragged me into the bush, he tied and inserted a handkerchief into my mouth, he collected my wrist watch, phone, charger, ATM Cards, etc, he held my neck again and I became unconscious when I gained consciousness, I discovered he had raped me while my armpit and private part hairs had been shaved.
“At this point, he had left and I saw some people passing but I could not shout due to the cloth inserted in my mouth, I later crawled out where some passersby rescued me and took me to the hospital.
“I was in the bush from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, when I described the defendant, some people knew him through his identity and he was later arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, in Omuo Ekiti, she concluded.
The prosecuting lawyer, Oluwaseun Olasanmi called four witnesses and tendered the defendant’s statements, and medical report among others as exhibits to buttress his case while the defendant through his lawyer Charles Ayobioloja prayed to the court to temper justice with mercy.
Court Ruling
In his judgment, Justice Familoni said, ” It is my findings that the prosecution has proved the offenses of attempted murder, robbery, kidnapping, and rape against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt in this case.
”The sole issue for determination is resolved in favor of the prosecution. Accordingly, He is convicted on all the counts as charged.
”The defendant (Oluwatuyi Bidemi) is sentenced to 21 years imprisonment on each of the four counts without the option of a fine. The sentences are to run concurrently with effect from the date of arrest and detention of the defendant”, the judge pronounced.
