Oluwagbemi Alabi, a 45-year-old teacher from Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape of an eight-year-old girl.
The crime took place in 1999, and Alabi was charged with one count of rape at the Ekiti State High Court on August 25, 2023.
The charge falls under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 1978.
The victim, who referred to Alabi as her “teacher and neighbour”, testified that he had touched her inappropriately during home tutoring sessions and eventually raped her in her sitting room while her mother was away in Lagos.
Alabi used the victim’s clothing to clean up the evidence before discarding it. Fearful and ashamed, the victim did not initially report the assault.
In 2012, Alabi sent her a friend request on Facebook, which she ignored. By 2023, he began sending her disturbing messages and videos, prompting her to take legal action.
Prosecutor Kunle-Shina Adeyemo presented a confessional statement from Alabi, along with records of their conversations, as evidence. Alabi was defended by lawyer Ademola Adeyemi.
Judge Lekan Ogunmoye ruled that the minor could not have consented to s*xual intercourse, sentencing Alabi to 15 years in prison without the option of a fine.
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