LAWRENCE ADEDAPO
V.
THE STATE

THERESA NGOLIKA ORJI-ABADUA, P.J.C.A. (Delivered the Leading Judgment): The Appellant was convicted of rape and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Ekiti State High Court in Charge No. HAD/24C/2014, from the 23^rd day of January, 2017 when the judgment of the lower Court was delivered. By the Information dated the 26^thNovember, 2014 and filed before the trial Court, the Appellant was arraigned for the offence of rape contrary to section 2C and punishable under section 4(d) of the Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law of Ekiti State, 2011. The particulars being that on or about the 7^th November, 2013 at Oke-Erinmope Street, Ogbese, Ise-Ekiti, he raped one Grace Asaolu. After plea was taken in the matter on 2/11/2016, the charge proceeded to trial with the Prosecution calling four witnesses while the Appellant alone testified on his behalf. At the end, the trial Court delivered its judgment on 23/1/17 and found the Appellant guilty and then sent him to a penitentiary for seven…