Court jails cleric 5 years for raping minor in Ekiti -

A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti , Ekiti State, has sentenced a cleric, Gabriel Asateru, to five years imprisonment for raping a minor.

The cleric was accused of defiling a five year old girl and later took to his heels before he was arrested by the police and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department(CID) section of the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.

Asateru, 53, who was a priest with Anglican Church, committed the offence on December 23, 2016 at Ifisin Ekiti in Ido/Osi local government area of Ekiti State.

The suit with registration number HAD/112/ 117 was first heard on January, 2018 before Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde on a one count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

According to the charge sheet, the accused person committed the offence contrary to section 31 of the Child’s Rights Law Cap 7 , Laws of Ekiti State Nigeria, 2005.

Delivering her judgement on Monday , Justice Abodunde said : “The accused person stands guilty and accordingly convicted to serve a prison of 5 years and to also pay a sum of N50, 000 fine as stipulated by child’s rights law 2005”, she said.

At the hearing stage, the Prosecuting Counsel , Ronke Odetola, from the office of Department of Public Prosection(DPP) tendered the Doctor’s Report and the defendant’s statement on oath to prosecute her case.

She also called three witnesses to testify against the Cleric.

But Barrister Olanrewaju Oluwasola stood for the accused person.