A Nigerian court has freed the traditional ruler of Ilowa Ijesa, Osun State, over an allegation of raping a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.
Justice Oyejide Falola of the Osun State High Court sitting in Ikirun announced the verdict on October 8, 2013, Tuesday.
The decision put an end to a three-year sexual case that has brought national attention on the traditional king, the Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesa, Oba Adebukola Alli, and his accuser, Helen Okpara. The judge also held that the plaintiff, Miss Helen Okpara, who accused the Monarch of raping her at his private residence in Osogbo, failed to prove that she was raped.
Court declared that a case of rape could only be established with exhibits such as bed sheet, the victim's pant and a medical report indicating forceful penetration, adding that the prosecutor failed to tender all these.
Justice Falola said Okpara also failed to show the bruises on her private part as evidence that she was raped. He further said the prosecutor failed to show to the court the plaintiff's torn clothes as she had claimed in her submissions before the court.
Therefore, the court was not convinced that Okpara sustained any injury. The court has accepted the fact that Okpara and the Monarch had been having regular sexual relationship before a misunderstanding ensued between them.
In his speech Justice Falola condemned such relationship involving a traditional ruler, saying his action had brought his stool into disrepute as well as disgrace to his family and community.
But Mr. Femi Adedokun, the counsel to both Okpara and the state government, said he would seek advice from the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice before considering appealing the judgment.
On his part, the defence counsel, Mr. Taofeeq Tewogbade, commended the judgment, describing it as "God's judgment which came at the appointed time."
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