Court Sentences Student and Friends to 5 Year Prison Term

 A Kwara High Court on Monday 31st July 2023, sentenced three students of an unnamed tertiary institution in Kwara state, for conspiring to rape a 17 year old minor in 2020. The conspiracy was instigated by 23 year old cousin of the victim named Omotoso Yahaya who invited his two friends to join him in the sexual abuse of the teenager whom he forcefully lured to his room. The friends invited in the dastardly act were 23 year old Ahmed Mustapha and 22 year old Ridwan Mustapha who happened to be brothers.

Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High court found the trio guilty of a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and rape of the victim, which took place in the Adangba area of Ilorin, the state capital. They each received a 5 year prison term for rape with an additional 2 year sentence for criminal conspiracy. In delivering the judgement, Justice Akinpelu held that :“The confessional statements of the defendants are clear, unambiguous and equivocal contrary to the argument of their counsel. The contents of their statement of the defendant is consistent with other evidence before the court. No Woman in her right senses will consent to and allow three men to have sex with her. Exhibit 1, (a plank) recovered from the scene of crime attested to the fact that the victim was threatened and rape coupled with other tests from a government hospital conducted on her.”