Man Jailed 12 Years for Raping Hijab-Clad Woman

Justice Oyeyemi Ajayi of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, has sentenced a 23-year-old man, Idris Rasheed, to 12 years imprisonment for raping a woman wearing a hijab.

The court established Rasheed’s guilt based on his confession and corroborating medical evidence that confirmed penetration and the presence of semen.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ajayi ordered that the prison term begin retroactively from January 29, 2023, the date of the convict’s arraignment.

During sentencing, the defense counsel, Mr. O. A. Ekundayo, appealed for leniency, citing the convict’s time already spent in custody and his remorseful conduct.

The prosecution, led by Mrs. K. K. Oloso-Olayiwola, revealed that the incident occurred late at night when the victim, a petty trader, sought directions to a mosque to spend the night. The convict pretended to assist but assaulted her, gripping her neck and attacking her near the roadside.

The act contravened Section 357 and is punishable under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.