Judiciary
AN Ikeja High Court has sentenced Afeez Baruwa, a part-time lecturer at the University of Lagos, Akoka, to 21- year imprisonment for raping an 18-year-old girl seeking admission into the university.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso convicted Baruwa of a one-count charge of rape brought against him, stating that “the prosecution has proven his case beyond a reasonable doubt. I found him guilty of the charge”.
“I cannot begin to imagine the emotional trauma of the girl. The convict offended his family, the victim, the society and God. Baruwa, I hereby sentenced you to 21 years imprisonment maximum, this is my judgement,” the judge said.
Realnews reports that Baruwa who was arrested by the Surulere Police Division on Monday, August 3, 2015, told police officers hat the sexual intercourse was by mutual consent, insisting that he did not rapê the 18-year-old.
The victim got to know the Unilag part-time lecturer through her father, mainly because the lecturer and her dad belonged to the same landlords’ association in the Abesan, Ipaja area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
It was gathered that the victim’s father had allowed her daughter to follow the lecturer on July 23, 2015, to UNILAG for an admission process, believing that the man is a well-respected man.
Realnews gathered that Baruwa allegedly took the girl inside one of the study halls, bolted the door, and ràpèd her several times.
After the incident, the victim returned home and told her parents about the rape, and taking fast decision, her parent rushed her to a non-governmental organisation, Mirabel Centre, where she was tested and the medical result reportedly confirmed that the teenager had been ràpêd.
After the confirmation, the victim was taken to the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, OPD, where the matter was reported at the police station. Baruwa was subsequently arrested by the Lagos State Police.
Omotola Rotimi, director of the Office of the Public Defender, said then OPD will write a letter to the UNILAG VC on the incident to make sure that this incident does not happen again.
Rotimi said: “The girl’s dad has really wanted his lecturer friend who he met through their Landlord association, to assist his daughter’s admission bid for the 2015 academic session.
So on that day, the girl left with the lecturer as early as 5.30 am in the morning, and they got to the school two hours later.
“No one had arrived at the hall except a woman. While the exams had yet to start, he ràped her. She went home, and the father found out that her daughter had been raped. He took her to the Mirabel Centre, which then informed the OPD.
“The centre also contacted the police at the Surulere and Isokoko divisions, and the suspect was arrested.
“We are going to defend the girl, and we are writing the VC. The part time lecturer disclosed that he is in the Department of Accounting. He claimed the sëx was consensual, but that is not a defence and we’re suing him for damage.” with reports from Daily School News Nigeria Portal
– Feb 20, 2020 @ 16:35 GMT |
Tags: UNILAG Lecturer jailed 21 years for rape
