Betrayal of Trust: Ekiti Court Sentences Two Teachers to 44 Years for Raping Their Students

In a landmark judgment against sexual violence in schools, the Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced two teachers, Gbenga Ajibola (43) and Olaofe Ayodele (52), to a total of 44 years in prison for the raped of two female students, aged 15 and 17.

Delivering the verdict on Tuesday, Justice Adeniyi Familoni imposed a custodial sentence without the option of a fine, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the gross abuse of power by the convicts.

The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemi, revealed that the horrific crimes were committed in November 2019 in Ado-Ekiti, where the two teachers exploited their positions of authority to violate the trust of their students.

According to court proceedings, Ajibola and Ayodele lured the minors to a hotel in the Oke-Ila area, where they subjected them to physical and psychological trauma. The prosecution further established that their actions were in blatant violation of Section 31(2) of the Child’s Rights Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

During sentencing, Justice Familoni strongly condemned the educators’ actions, stating that they acted with full awareness, displaying reckless disregard for their victims’ well-being.

“They deserve severe penal sanctions for their misdeeds to serve as a warning and deterrent to others who may consider following in their footsteps,” he declared.

The court, in its ruling, sentenced Ajibola and Ayodele to 20 years each on the first count and an additional two years each on the second count, bringing the total sentence to 44 years. However, the sentences will run concurrently, meaning each will serve 20 years behind bars.

The shocking case has sparked public outrage, with calls for stricter measures to protect students from predatory educators. Advocacy groups and education stakeholders are now urging more rigorous background checks, stronger enforcement of child protection laws, and increased surveillance within schools.

This ruling serves as a powerful warning that abuse of authority in educational institutions will not go unpunished. It also underscores the urgent need for stronger safeguards to ensure schools remain safe spaces for learning, not zones of exploitation.