A Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sentenced one Adeoti Moradeke to three years’ imprisonment for violating child protection laws by engaging an 11-year-old girl in hawking during school hours.
The court found that Moradeke contravened Section 30(2) of the Child’s Right Law of Ekiti State, 2019, which prohibits child labour, particularly during periods meant for education.
The prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Adesegun, presented the statements of the defendant and the complainant, along with a hospital card, as evidence during the trial.
In her plea, the convict’s counsel, Opeyemi Esan, appealed for leniency, claiming that Moradeke was unaware of the government’s directive banning hawking by minors during school hours.
Delivering judgment, Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola noted that the defendant confessed to giving the young girl pepper and palm wine to sell in an effort to raise funds for her school enrolment.
“The prosecution has established the offence against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. I find her guilty as charged and I convict her accordingly,” the magistrate ruled.
She then handed down a sentence of three years in prison with hard labour, with an option of a ₦20,000 fine.
