Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
A High Court, sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has sentenced a cleric, Gabriel Asateru, 53, to five years imprisonment for raping a minor.
The cleric, who took to his heels after he was accused of defiling the five year old girl, was later arrested by the police and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) section of the police headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.
Asateru, who was a priest with the Anglican Church, committed the offence on December 23, 2016, at Ifisin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of the state.
READ ALSO: Why we took to kidnapping, attack on communities in Zamfara – Repentant bandits
The suit with Registration Number HAD/112/ 117 was first heard on January, 2018 before Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde on a one count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.
According to the charge sheet, the accused person committed the offence contrary to section 31 of the Child’s Rights Law Cap 7, Laws of Ekiti State Nigeria, 2005.
Delivering her judgement on Monday, Justice Abodunde said : “The accused person stands guilty and accordingly convicted to serve a prison of five years and to also pay a sum of N50,000 fine as stipulated by Child’s Rights Law 2005”, she said.
At the hearing stage, the Prosecuting Counsel, Ronke Odetola, from the office of Department of Public Prosection(DPP) tendered the Doctor’s Report and the defendant’s statement on oath to prosecute her case.
She also called three witnesses to testify against the Cleric.
But Barr. Olanrewaju Oluwasola stood for the accused person.
