Friday, November 14, 2025 - An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Dare Ojo, to d3ath by hanging for the r@pe and m8rder of 11-year-old Zainab Adeyemo.
The presiding judge, Justice Yemi Fasanmi found Ojo guilty
of r@pe and m8rder after a high-profile trial, which lasted for five years.
Delivering his judgement on Thursday, November 13, 2025,
Justice Fasanmi held that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable
doubt against the convict.
The judge, therefore, found Ojo guilty of the offences and
sentenced him accordingly.
The convict was earlier arraigned on a two-count charge of
unlawful s3xual intercourse and murder on July 17, 2020, at about 5:30 p.m.,
along the Irun/Ese-Akoko Road in the Akoko North-East area of Ondo State.
He was said to have strangled Zainab after r@ping her.
According to the prosecution, the defendant, a motorcyclist,
had conveyed the girl from Ise Market to Irun, but failed to take her to her
destination.
She was later found d3ad in the bush.
The convict’s plea was taken on June 14, 2023, following a
further amendment to the charge, during which he pleaded for leniency.
During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses,
while the defendant testified for himself without calling any witness.
The defence counsel, Messrs. Kolawole Oluiwa, prayed the
court to temper justice with mercy, noting that the defendant was remorseful
and had expressed guilt over the pain caused to the victim’s family.
He added that reports from the correctional centre showed
that the defendant was one of the well-behaved inmates, and pleaded with the
court to consider a more lenient sentence, given his youth and potential to
contribute to the economic growth of the country.
In his judgement, Justice Fasanmi invoked the doctrine of
‘last seen’ against the defendant, being the last person seen with the
deceased.
The judge further stated that in his extrajudicial
statement, the defendant could not provide a convincing explanation regarding
the cause of the deceased’s d3ath, especially as she was found naked.
He quoted the autopsy and post-mortem reports, which
indicated evidence of massive violence around the deceased’s vagina and neck,
including signs of forceful penetration.
Justice Fasanmi described the case as a very pathetic one
and commended the defence counsel for his punctuality throughout the trial
period, noting that he did not delay the prosecution.
The judge, however held, “The defendant had robbed the
deceased of her pride through his action, and I, therefore, find it a sacred
duty to send a warning to pedophiles by ensuring justice was served for the
victim.”
Consequently, the court sentenced the convict to life
imprisonment for rape under Section 31 (1), (2) and (3) of the Ondo State
Child’s Rights Law, 2007, and to death by hanging for murder under Section 319
(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
Reacting to the verdict, the Executive Secretary of the Ondo
State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV), Barr. (Mrs.) Bola
Afolabi, whose office handled the prosecution process, commended the court for
giving justice to the victim, her family and the state government.
Speaking with journalists, she explained that the case was
initially filed in 2020, but was reopened in 2023 following an amendment.
“At the end of the prosecution, he was found guilty on
counts one and two. We have seen the end of the case today. It is a great
relief," she said.
“Unfortunately, the victim is no longer alive due to the
defendant’s act, but today she got justice. For the defendant, he received
judgement for the offences he committed. That is the beauty of the court — when
there is justice for victims, everyone is happy. Today, we are happy and
grateful to the court."
She also commended the Director of Legal Services at
OSAA-GBV, Barr. John Dada, who prosecuted the case from inception to judgement.
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