Commercial Motorcyclist Receives Maximum Sentence for Heinous Crime
The Akure Division of the Ondo State High Court delivered a landmark judgment on Thursday, sentencing commercial motorcyclist Dare Ojo to death by hanging for the brutal rape and murder of 11-year-old Zainab Adeyemo.
Presiding Judge Justice Yemi Fasanmi found the accused guilty on both counts of rape and murder, bringing closure to a case that has spanned nearly five years and shocked the local community.
Tragic Events of July 2020
The horrific incident occurred on July 17, 2020, when Dare Ojo was hired to transport the young girl from Ese-Akoko to the market at Irun-Akoko. According to court proceedings, the mother of the deceased had specifically arranged for Ojo to take her daughter to the market, trusting the commercial motorcycle rider with her child's safety.
When Zainab failed to return home, her concerned parents began searching for her. They first contacted market traders who confirmed the girl had never arrived at her destination. The parents then reached out to Dare Ojo, who claimed he had dropped her off at the market as arranged.
A community search party was quickly organized, leading to the devastating discovery of Zainab's naked body in a bush along the Ese/Irun-Akoko Road in the Akoko North-East Local Government Area.
Forensic Evidence and Legal Proceedings
During the trial, crucial evidence from a pathologist at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo revealed that Zainab had been violently raped before her death. The medical examination established clear signs of struggle and forceful vaginal penetration, providing scientific corroboration of the sexual assault.
Police investigators testified that the accused had led them to the crime scene in the bush, further strengthening the case against him. Although there were no direct eyewitnesses to the actual crime, Justice Fasanmi invoked the Doctrine of Last Seen, noting that Dare Ojo was the last person seen with the victim before her disappearance.
The defense counsel, Kolawole Olusegun Oluiwa, pleaded for leniency during sentencing, and the defendant himself appealed for mercy when given the opportunity to address the court.
Court Delivers Dual Sentence
Justice Fasanmi handed down two separate sentences for the crimes committed. For the rape charge, the court sentenced Dare Ojo to life imprisonment under section 31(1), (2), and (3) of the Ondo State Child's Right Law of 2007.
For the murder conviction, the judge imposed the death penalty by hanging pursuant to section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37, vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
The prosecution team, led by Director Afolabi Victory Bolanle from the state Ministry of Justice, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Bolanle, who also serves as Administrative Secretary of the Ondo State Agency Against Gender Based Violence (OSA-GBV), stated that justice had been served for all parties involved.
The case was initially filed in 2020 but saw several amendments before proceedings officially began in 2023. The prosecution presented six witnesses during the trial, while the defense chose not to call any witnesses, relying solely on the defendant's testimony.
Following the judgment, the defense attorney acknowledged the court's diligence in handling the sensitive case, bringing a painful chapter to closure for Zainab's family and the broader community.
