An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced 33-year-old Oluwatuyi Bidemi to 84 years in prison after finding him guilty of multiple crimes, including rape, robbery, attempted murder, and kidnapping. Justice Adeniyi Familoni delivered the judgment on Friday, convicting Bidemi on all four charges.
The prosecution, led by Oluwaseun Olasanmi, detailed how the convict attacked civil servant Abiodun Agnes on July 7, 2021, in Omuo Ekiti. According to court documents, Bidemi ambushed the victim along a bush path, strangled her into unconsciousness, robbed her of valuables, and sexually assaulted her. When she regained consciousness, she realized her attacker had also shaved her body hair before fleeing.
Terrified and unable to scream due to a cloth stuffed in her mouth, the victim crawled out of the bush, where passersby rescued her and took her to the hospital. An investigation led to Bidemi’s arrest by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). His confession and forensic evidence, including a medical report, solidified the case against him.
The court found that Bidemi’s crimes violated multiple laws, including the Ekiti State Criminal Code, the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law of 2019, and the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law of 2015. Despite his lawyer, Charles Ayobioloja, pleading for leniency, Justice Familoni ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Delivering the verdict, the judge declared, “The defendant is sentenced to 21 years imprisonment on each of the four counts without the option of a fine. The sentences are to run concurrently, starting from the date of his arrest.” This means Bidemi will serve a total of 21 years in prison.
The landmark ruling sends a strong warning against violent crimes in Ekiti State, as authorities continue to crack down on gender-based violence and criminal activities. The judgment has been widely praised, with many calling it a step toward justice for victims of sexual and violent crimes.
