Cleric Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Raping Minor in Ekiti

A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 47-year-old cleric, Prophet Adeleye Akingbaso, to life imprisonment for raping a 13-year-old girl.

Akingbaso was arraigned in September 2022 on charges of rape and coercion. According to the charge sheet, the incident occurred in July 2022 in Ado-Ekiti, where the cleric sexually assaulted the minor. The prosecution also revealed that in July 2021, he coerced the victim into a sexual act, causing physical and psychological harm. These offenses violated Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, and Section 4 of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, No.18 of 2019.

Testifying in court, the victim recounted that the cleric, a family friend, frequently stayed at their home. She said the assault happened on a night when her mother was on duty. She recalled that Akingbaso woke her up at midnight, claiming she had wet the bed. He then applied shea butter to her private parts before she lost consciousness. The girl later realized she had been raped and alleged that the cleric threatened to curse her and cause her death if she spoke about the incident.