The Magistrate, Mrs Caroliine Oghuma, sentenced Edebiri after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge.
Oghuma, in her judgment, held that Edebiri deserved no mercy despite being a first offender.
“You do not deserve any mercy even though it is the first time you are appearing in court.
“I consider the offence condemnable since you took advantage of the vulnerable minor
“I, hereby, sentence you to nine years imprisonment without option of fine, to serve as deterrent to others,” Oghuma held.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Adebiyi, had told the court that the minor and her parents reported the incident to the police on June 2.
Adebiyi said that complainant reported the matter on the same day the convict defiled the minor at his home close to the minor house at Aghimen Street, off Saint Saviour, Benin.
He said that “on the faithful day, the convict went to buy fish worth N250 at No 4, Aghimen Street, off Saint Saviour, Benin where the minor was assisting her mother to sell fish.
“After the convict has taken the fish, he asked the minor to follow him home to collect the money of the fish.
“When minor got to his room, he locked her up, took advantage of her and forcefully had unlawful carnal knowledge of her,’’ the prosecutor said.
He said that the convict threatened to kill the victim if she disclosed what transpired between them.
“Unfortunately, the minor’s parent observed that she was not comfortable as she was feeling pains in her abdomen, it was then that she told her parents what happened to her.
“Immediately, the minor parent came to the police station to report, she was examined and test was carried out on the same day at Central Hospital where it was confirmed that the minor lost her virginity,’’ Adebiyi said.
He said that the convict confessed to the crime, which contravened Section 218 of the Criminal Code.
Source: Vanguard
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