Teenager bags jail term over attempt to rape 35-year-old woman

A magistrates’ court in Abeokuta, Nigeria’s southwest, has sentenced a teenager, Adeola Saheed, to six months’ imprisonment for attempting to rape a 35-year-old woman.

The defendant, 19, who resides in the Brewery area in Abeokuta, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, indecent assault and attempt to rape.

The magistrate, O.O. Odumosu, said the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty as charged.

Ms Odumosu convicted Mr Saheed to six months’ imprisonment for each count, with the option of a N300,000 fine.

She, however, said the jail term should run concurrently.

The prosecutor, ASP Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 12, 2023, at about 12:30 p.m. at Olomore Housing Estate in Abeokuta.

Mr Shonibare said the defendant conspired with one another, now at large, to commit an offence, to wit, an attempt to rape a 35-year-old woman (name withheld).

He explained that the defendant ran into the complainant’s compound with a plank and screwdriver, pretending to be chasing a thief.

“When he got to the compound, he saw the complainant washing clothes outside her house and asked if she saw anyone that ran into her compound and if she was the only one in the compound.

“The complainant, in replying to the convict, said that she was the only one in the compound and that she did not see any thief run into her compound.

“When she picked up her phone and tried calling her husband, the convict attacked her.

“Immediately, the convict attacked her with the plank he was holding, held her neck, and tore her cloth in an attempt to rape her, but fortunately, the husband of the complainant came to her rescue,” he said.

The prosecutor, however, said the offence committed contravened sections 516, 360, and 359 of the Criminal Code laws of Ogun, 2006.

(NAN)