PETER OYINKENIMIEMI AFFEN, J.C.A. (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This appeal is against the reserved judgment handed down on 7/11/2023 by the High Court of Ekiti State, holden at Ado-Ekiti, coram: B. O. Ajileye, J. (“Trial Court”) in Charge No. HAD/49/2021: The State of Ekiti v Tajudeen Jamiu, wherein the Appellant was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the offence of rape contrary to S. 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. It was alleged in the one-count information dated 3/9/2021 (copied at p. 1 of the record) that the Appellant “did severally rape one [ML], a girl of the age of 10 years” between May and December 2020 at Ado-Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the Trial Court.
The Appellant (qua Defendant) entered a not-guilty plea, whereupon the Respondent (qua Prosecution) fielded five witnesses: PW1 (the prosecutrix), PW2 (the prosecutrix’s father, Dr Suleman Adedamola), PW3 (Dr Temitope Okunola, a Medical Officer/Consultant Gynaecologis…