An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a man, Lucky Ayosin, to life imprisonment for serially raping his own daughter (name withheld) who later gave birth to a baby girl for him.
Ayosin was also sentenced to ten years imprisonment for attempting to murder the victim’s elder brother, Ilesanmi Ayosin, who caught him while having sex with his younger sister.
Justice John Adeyeye in arriving at the verdict held that the prosecution has proved the case beyond the reasonable doubt by the evidence made available to the court.
The judge ruled that both sentences are to run concurrently.
During the pendency of the case, the victim who was an Senior Secondary (SS) Two student carried the pregnancy of his father and later gave birth to a baby girl.
The convict’s 20-year-old son, Ilesanmi, caught his father having sex with his 16-year-old daughter three times.
Ilesanmi was shot by the father with a single-barrel gun in a bid to cover up his crime but the boy escaped and reported the incident to his mother, Yemisi Bayode, who had divorced from their father 14 years ago leaving the two children in his custody.
The boy in his evidence quoted his father as saying this after shooting him: “May your soul rest n peace, next time, when you see anything you will know how to keep secret.”
Justice Adeyeye found Ayosin guilty of attempted murder contrary to Section 320 of Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State 2012 and rape contrary to Section 358 of Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State.
According to the charge sheet, the incident occurred on or about 19th November, 2015 at Isaba-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
The convict was first arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court before issuance of legal advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions for the case to be transferred to the State High Court.
Ayosin was first arraigned at the High Court on 21st February, 2017 on two-count charge of attempted murder and rape.
The prosecution called five witnesses to prove the case including a medical doctor who examined the girl raped and put in family way by her father.
Exhibits tendered include the statement of the convict, medical report and the single-barrel gun with which he shot his son who caught him while forcibly having carnal knowledge of his younger sister.
A counsel from the Office of the DPP, Mrs. Kemi Ajumobi, represented the State while the convict was represented by Mrs. A.T. Baderinwa from the Legal Aid Council.
The judge in finding Ayosin guilty said his conviction would serve as a lesson to others involved in such crimes.