A human rights and good governance advocacy group – Make A Difference Initiative (MAD) has applauded the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice James Ogunnaike for imposing a life sentence on a – 35 year old man, Adekunle Olalere for raping a – 2 year baby.
In a statement issued by M.A.D’s Executive Director, Lemmy Ughegbe and Director of Strategic Projects, Augustine Eigbe, the initiative said “the life sentence imposed on the pedophile by Justice Ogunnaike would serve as a deterrent to other potential rapists and ultimately boost our collective efforts to curtail varying forms of Sex and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).”
“On the same day that a Judge in Ekiti State, Justice John Adeyeye decided to sympathise with an incestuous father who serially defiled his little daughters, another Judge in neighboring Ogun state has given our collective effort to curb sexual violence a boost”, the statement added.
The initiative described Justice James Ogunnaike’s verdict as “inspiring, transforming, progressive and in tandem with national outcry for rapists to be decisively dealt with under the full weight of the law”.
“We are clearly on a path to winning this war against SGBV and with more Judges like the Chief Judge of Ogun State on the bench and state legislators willing to strengthen their laws of SGBV, the initiative believes that rape, child sexual violence and all forms of SGBV will soon be reduced to its barest minimum”, the statement concluded.
The Chief Judge had on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, convicted Olalere on a – one count charge of having sexual intercourse with a two years old girl.
Although the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge, delivering his judgment, the Chief Judge held that all pieces of evidence presented before the court by the prosecutor was tenable and found the convict guilty as charged.
in the course of trial, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Oluyemisi Aruleba, Assistant Chief State Counsel told the court that Olalere committed the offence on March 22, 2017, at No 18, Bashorun Street Off Unity Road, Olowotedo area in Mowe area of Ogun.
According to her, the convict forcefully had sexual intercourse with a – 2 year old girl (name withheld).
Aruleba, said the victim’s mother was living with the convict because she helps the wife to sell foodstuff and other things.
She said: “the victim’s mother met her 2 year old daughter crying, and noticed she was not walking well. She checked her daughter’s private part and noticed her vagina was swollen.
“She took the child to the hospital where it was confirmed that there was the presence of sperm cells in her vagina
and also revealed that the child had been sexually abused by the convict,” she said.
She noted that the offences committed contravened Section 32 of the Child Right Laws of Ogun State 2006.
