Admin I Thursday, Oct. 03, 2024
LAGOS, Nigeria – A commercial motorcycle operator, Monday Olukunle better known as Seaman has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for participating in a gang raping operation of a sixteen year old lady.
He was sentenced by Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court.
His lordship found the defendant guilty of counts one and two which borders on conspiracy and abduction while discharging him of count three which deals with defilement.
Justice Ogala 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.
She however relied on the defendant’s confessional statement and found him guilty of conspiracy and abduction.
“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”
The judge 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 the 30th day of September 2022 and shall be concurrent.
According to the three count charges preferred against the convict, the police alleged that 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.
