A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, has sentenced a 25-year-old man, Raji Ridwan, to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour for attempted rape.
The judgment was handed down on Friday by Magistrate Ibukun Adeniran, after his arrest by operatives of the Osun Amotekun Corps.
According to the charge sheet, Ridwan unlawfully entered the female hostel of the Federal University of Science, Ila-Orangun, where he attempted to rape a student.
The prosecution presented the confessional statement of the defendant through the investigating officer.
A key witness also testified during the trial, corroborating the victim’s account of events.
The court found that the act was in violation of Section 359 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
After considering the evidence and the guilty plea, Magistrate Adeniran convicted Ridwan accordingly, and he was sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour, without the option of a fine.
The sentence, the Magistrate noted in his ruling, aims to serve as a deterrent to similar offences.
Reacting to the judgment in a statement on Saturday in Osogbo, the Public Relations Officer of Osun Amotekun Corps, Yusuf Idowu Abass, said, “This conviction reflects the state government’s zero tolerance for sexual offences. We will continue to work with security agencies and the judiciary to ensure justice is served.”
The incident, he said, occurred at night when the victim was alone in her room.
The victim was said to have bravely resisted the attack and raised an alarm, alerting neighbours and fellow students who, in response, rushed to her aid, causing the suspect to flee the scene.
The statement reads, “Personnel of the Osun Amotekun Corps who were immediately in the local government were contacted and, after conducting a coordinated and extensive search operation, Ridwan was apprehended a short distance from the university premises and taken into custody.
“During interrogation, the defendant voluntarily confessed to the attempted rape and was charged before Magistrate Ibukun Adeniran. At the hearing, he pleaded guilty to the single count charge.”
He commended residents who responded to the victim’s distress call and urged the public to remain vigilant and report all cases of violence promptly.
“The Osun Amotekun Corps commends the swift intervention of concerned citizens and reiterates its continuous collaboration with security and judicial institutions to ensure perpetrators of violent crimes are apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he said.
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