A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, has sentenced a 25-year-old man, Raji Ridwan, to three years imprisonment with hard labour for attempted rape.

The judgment was handed down on Friday by Magistrate Ibukun Adeniran following the defendant’s plea of guilty.

LAGOS EYE NEWS reports that Ridwan was convicted for attempting to rape a female student of the Federal University of Science, Ila-Orangun.

According to court proceedings, the incident occurred when the convict forcefully broke into the hostel of the victim and made an unlawful attempt to sexually assault her.

The victim, however, courageously resisted the attack and raised an alarm, which alerted neighbours who quickly responded. Ridwan fled the scene but was apprehended shortly after by operatives of the Osun Amotekun Corps following a coordinated search operation.

Upon arrest, the suspect voluntarily confessed to the crime and was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Court, where he was charged with a single count of attempted rape. The prosecution presented a witness and tendered the confessional statement through an investigating officer from the Osun Amotekun Corps.

The court found that the offence violated Section 359 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. After reviewing the facts and the defendant’s admission of guilt, Magistrate Adeniran sentenced him to three years imprisonment with hard labour, without the option of a fine.

The conviction highlights the Osun State Government’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual and gender-based violence.

The Osun Amotekun Corps, which facilitated the arrest, praised the swift response of residents and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding communities and ensuring justice for victims of violent crimes.