Two teachers in Ekiti State have been handed a combined 44-year prison sentence by an Ado-Ekiti High Court for raping two teenage students. The defendants, Ajibola Gbenga (43) and Olaofe Ayodele (52), were convicted on charges of rape and abuse of office.
The case, presided over by Justice Adeniyi Familoni, began in March 2022 when the defendants were arraigned on a three-count charge. The charges stated that in November 2019, Gbenga raped a 17-year-old girl, while Ayodele raped a 15-year-old girl, violating Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law of Ekiti State, 2012. Additionally, both defendants were accused of abusing their positions as public servants, contrary to Section 104 of the Criminal Code Law of Ekiti State, 2012.
During the trial, one of the victims recounted her ordeal, stating, “Mr. Ajibola, my Computer teacher, constantly harassed me in class. One day, he instructed me to wear casual clothes and gave me N200 to wait for him near a filling station on Bank Road. He arrived with Mr. Olaofe, and we were taken to a hotel in the Oke-Ila area of Ado Ekiti. There, I was led to a room where Mr. Ajibola raped me. After that day, he continued to harass me until I finally confided in my mother, who reported the incident.”
The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemi, presented four witnesses and submitted evidence including victim and defendant statements, medical reports, and a panel of inquiry report. The defendants, represented by their lawyer Lawrence Fasanmi, denied the allegations, claiming they were politically motivated. They called six witnesses and presented exhibits to support their defense.
In his ruling, Justice Familoni condemned the defendants for their actions, stating, “The defendants ignored their conscience and exploited the victims with reckless disregard. They deserve severe punishment to deter others from committing similar acts.”
Gbenga was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the rape of the 17-year-old, while Ayodele received a 20-year sentence for the rape of the 15-year-old. Both defendants were also sentenced to two years each for abuse of office. The sentences are to run concurrently.
