An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, has sentenced a middle-aged man, Dare Ojo, to d3ath by hanging for the r@pe and m8rder of 11-year-old Zainab Adeyemo. The presiding judge, Justice Yemi Fasanmi found Ojo guilty of r@pe and m8rder after a high-profile trial, which lasted for five years. Delivering his judgement on Thursday, November 13, 2025, Justice Fasanmi held that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt against the convict. The judge, therefore, found Ojo guilty of the offences and sentenced him accordingly. The convict was earlier arraigned on a two-count charge of unlawful s3xual intercourse and murder on July 17, 2020, at about 5:30 p.m., along the Irun/Ese-Akoko Road in the Akoko North-East area of Ondo State. He was said to have strangled Zainab after r@ping her. According to the prosecution, the defendant, a motorcyclist, had conveyed the girl from Ise Market to Irun, but failed to take her to her destination. She was later found d3ad in the bush. The convicts plea was taken on June 14, 2023, following a further amendment to the charge, during which he pleaded for leniency. During the trial, the prosecution called six witnesses, while the defendant testified for himself without calling any witness. The defence counsel, Messrs. Kolawole Oluiwa, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, noting that the defendant was remorseful and had expressed guilt over the pain caused to the victims family. He added that reports from the correctional centre showed that the defendant was one of the well-behaved inmates, and pleaded with the court to consider a more lenient sentence, given his youth and potential to contribute to the economic growth of the country. In his judgement, Justice Fasanmi invoked the doctrine of last seen against the defendant, being the last person seen with the deceased. The judge further stated that in his extrajudicial statement, the defendant could not provide a convincing explanation regarding the cause of the deceaseds d3ath, especially as she was found naked. He quoted the autopsy and post-mortem reports, which indicated evidence of massive violence around the deceaseds vagina and neck, including signs of forceful penetration. Justice Fasanmi described the case as a very pathetic one and commended the defence counsel for his punctuality throughout the trial period, noting that he did not delay the prosecution. The judge, however held, The defendant had robbed the deceased of her pride through his action, and I, therefore, find it a sacred duty to send a warning to pedophiles by ensuring justice was served for the victim. Consequently, the court sentenced the convict to life imprisonment for rape under Section 31 (1), (2) and (3) of the Ondo State Childs Rights Law, 2007, and to death by hanging for murder under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006. Reacting to the verdict, the Executive Secretary of the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV), Barr. (Mrs.) Bola Afolabi, whose office handled the prosecution process, commended the court for giving justice to the victim, her family and the state government. Speaking with journalists, she explained that the case was initially filed in 2020, but was reopened in 2023 following an amendment. At the end of the prosecution, he was found guilty on counts one and two. We have seen the end of the case today. It is a great relief,” she said. Unfortunately, the victim is no longer alive due to the defendants act, but today she got justice. For the defendant, he received judgement for the offences he committed. That is the beauty of the court when there is justice for victims, everyone is happy. Today, we are happy and grateful to the court.” She also commended the Director of Legal Services at OSAA-GBV, Barr. John Dada, who prosecuted the case from inception to judgement.
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