New Telegraph

UNILAG Alumnus bags 53 years for raping 19-year-old student

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court Monday sentenced one John Otema, an alumnus of the University of Lagos (Unilag) to 53 years imprisonment for raping a 19-year-old student (name withheld) of the institution on campus.
The 34-year-old graduate, a quantity surveyor and facilities manager, was charged before Justice Abiola Soladoye with three counts of rape and assault occasioning harm.
Otema was convicted on two out of the three count charges and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for rape and three years in prison for assault, in respect to the rape of a 19-year-old student (student X).
However, the court found Otema not guilty of the third count charge of rape involving a 20-year-old student (Student Y) of the institution.
While delivering her judgement, Justice Soladoye noted that the demeanor of Student Y, in her testimony, was mischievous and she would not have claimed that she was raped if Otema had paid her the N50,000 agreed upon before their rendezvous.
The judge quoted a portion of Student Y’s testimony which stated “With intention to scare him off, I asked him for N100,000 but he said he will give me N50,000.
“I gave him my account number but he did not credit my account. Friendship with benefits was the crux of our relationship”.
The judge described Student Y as a game player who had embarked on a sexual frolic.
“The defendant John Osagie Otema in respect of count-one (rape) is found not guilty as there is overwhelming evidence before the court that sexual intercourse between the defendant and PW2 (Student Y) was consensual as it was friendship with benefits,” the judge said.
In convicting Otema of rape and assault occasioning harm of Student X, Justice Soladoye noted that in addition to medical evidence and photographs tendered by the prosecution, Student X had also identified the defendant as her assailant who bit her back and punched her eyes.

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