who gang-raped a 20-year-old hawker, have been
sentenced to 10 years in prison.The men were said
to have tricked the victim into a primary school at
Yansiwhe in the Makoko area of Lagos State and
took turns to illegally have carnal knowledge of
her.She was said to have passed out at a point, but
the men used her hijab (shawl) to fan her before
ordering her to leave the premises.
Contnue after the break cut...
The police said the suspects, who were all nationals
of Benin Republic, fled the scene after the incident.
But 40-year-old Setonji and Abraham Huvensu, 25,
were arrested and confessed that they slept with the
girl in the unnamed primary school.
At a Yaba Chief Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, the
police said efforts were on to apprehend the other
suspects who were still at large.
Setonji and Huvensu, after being arraigned on two
counts of rape and conspiracy, pleaded guilty to the
charges.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Peter Nwangwu,
while giving the facts of the case, said the victim
reported the matter at the Yaba Police Station.
He said, "On August 16, 2014 at about 5pm, the two
defendants and four others now at large, conspired
together and had intercourse with the victim without
her consent.
"She reported the matter at the Yaba Police Division.
She explained that on the fateful day, she was called
by the men while she was hawking a local sweet.
"They bought some from her and after she finished
selling to some other customers, she went back to
meet them for her money.
"She went to meet Paul (Setonji) being the eldest
and he directed her to meet Abraham (Huvensu).
They started directing her to one another.
"Finally, Paul told her to go to a primary school
within the vicinity that the youngest among them
was there and he would give her the money."
The prosecutor said the 20-year-old innocently went
into the school building without knowing the men
were on her trail.
"They overpowered her and tore her pants. Two
others held her legs apart and they raped her.
"At a point, she became very weak and fainted. The
men used her hijab to fan her and asked her to get
up and go home.
"She wore just a long gown and she went directly to
the police to report the matter."
Nwangwu urged the court to sentence the men
accordingly, as "the first defendant is a grandfather
and is supposed to have a daughter of the girl's age."
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. Ipaye-Nwachukwu,
admitted the statements of the defendants and the
victim as exhibits.
The defendants, who spoke through an interpreter,
admitted that the prosecutor's account was valid,
begging the court to forgive them.
Ipaye-Nwachukwu, having found them guilty,
sentenced them to five years imprisonment on each
count.
She said, "On count one, the first and second
defendant convicts are sentenced to five years
imprisonment with hard labour.
"On count two, they are also sentenced to five years
imprisonment. The sentences are to run
concurrently."
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