An Okada rider, Monday Olukunle standing trial for his involvement in a gang rape of a-16-year-old girl has been jailed in Lagos.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.
Seaman as he is popularly known was found guilty of counts one and two which borders on conspiracy and abduction while discharging him of count three which deals with defilement.
Delivering the judgement, the trial judge relied on the defendant’s confessional statement to find him guilty of conspiracy and abduction.
She further noted that the prosecutor was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt the offence of defilement having not presented key witnesses to testify in the course of the trial.
“The alleged victim did not testify or identify the defendant. It is instructive that neither the persons who arrested the defendant, the alleged friend nor the Chairman of the Estate testified in respect of the charge of defilement linking the defendant with the direct act. These witnesses are vital witnesses in establishing the guilt of the defendant.
“The Honourable Court, therefore, finds that the prosecution failed to satisfy it that the defendant indeed defiled the said victim.”
She said that the evidence of PW2 and PW3 sufficiently corroborates the fact of the confession of the convict, and the court finds that the attempt to dissociate him from the entirety of the events of the incident is an afterthought and holds not much weight in view of the facts before the court.
The judge ordered that the convict term shall commence from the date of remand, which is September 30, 2022 and shall be concurrent.
Trouble began for the defendant when the police filed three count charges against the convict; Monday Olukunle a.k.a Seaman and another (now at large) on September 30, 2022 at No. 15, Ralitu Daramola Street, Abogunleko, Ikotun area in the Ikeja Judicial Division conspired to abduct the survivor to an uncompleted building to gang rape her.
During the trial, the prosecutor called three witnesses who were a medical doctor Nnani Nkechi Jane, Mordi David and Police Inspector Yemi Amoo, while the convict solely defended himself.
