Ekiti: Woman bags jail term for mutilating boyfriend’s manhood

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, has sentenced a 35-year-old woman, Joy Ikoja, to seven years imprisonment for causing grievous harm to the manhood of her lover, Ibrahim Usman, following a violent confrontation.

Recall that the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice had arraigned Ikoja on a two-count charge under the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021, bothering on attempt to Murder (Section 241) and causing grievous harm (Section 255).

The case, under Charge No: HAD/14C/2025, stemmed from an incident on April 12, 2025, at the Irona area of Ado-Ekiti.

According to court records, Ikoja and Ibrahim Usman had been living together as romantic partners in a single room for approximately three years.

Trouble began when Ikoja accommodated her female friend, Mayowa Ayomide, who was facing housing difficulties, with Usman’s consent.

Investigation and testimonies revealed that the living arrangement soon deteriorated into infidelity as Mayowa and Usman allegedly commenced a clandestine sexual affair under the same roof.

On the fateful evening of April 12, 2025, around 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Ikoja returned home to find the door locked from the inside and upon gaining entry, she allegedly caught Usman and Mayowa in bed together.

Usman attempted to shield Mayowa by pushing her away and blocking Ikoja’s path, but violence erupted as Ikoja grabbed hold of Usman’s private parts with intense force, causing a severe vertical laceration to his scrotal sac that exposed his testes.

Usman was rushed to the Police Cottage Hospital in Okesa, Ado-Ekiti, in the late hours of the night, and despite initial suturing, the wound became infected, exposing dead tissue and forcing a subsequent referral to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital for specialist urological care.

The prosecutor, F.O Awoniyi, called four witnesses, including police investigators and the attending medical doctor and tendered five exhibits, including photographic evidence, a certificate of compliance, the defendant’s confessional statement and the medical report.

Meanwhile, the Defendant, represented by Legal Aid Council counsel, Adeyinka Opaleke, pleaded not guilty and later resiled from her extra-judicial confessional statement, claiming she never made any statement at the station and that she only fought briefly without injuring Usman.

In the judgement, Hon. Justice Oyinkansola Oluboyede acquitted Ikoja of attempted murder on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a premeditated intent to kill or the use of a lethal weapon, while the court held that the evidence overwhelmingly supported the charge of grievous harm.

The judge dismissed the defendant’s denial as an afterthought, noting that her extra-judicial confession, corroborated by medical evidence and police testimony, firmly established her culpability.

 Hon. Justice Oluboyede decried the rise of domestic violence driven by uncontrolled emotions and passion, emphasizing that violence can never be justified.

She subsequently sentenced Joy Ikoja to seven years’ imprisonment, which is the maximum punishment prescribed under Section 255 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021, excluding the period already spent in detention.

“Before I pronounce the sentencing of the Defendant, I must say that in my opinion, this is a case where the facts of the case were clear and evidence of the guilt of the Defendant is quite direct, therefore Counsel should have rather than enabling the Defendant try to wriggle out of, or wangle her way out of an offence she clearly committed, sought a plea deal with the state/prosecution.

“This would have achieved lowering legal fees, reduced jail time, secured a faster and certain resolution, and reduced charges and lighter sentences.

“In addition, there would have been protection and privacy of the victim, ultimately where there is no trial at all, or there has been no lengthy trial.

“This Court understands that the Defendant’s action was mostly borne out of uncontrolled emotions and passion against her intimate partner.

“However, there is no justification for violence and this should serve as a deterrence to any other aggressive partners or would-be aggressive partners. I will not say more than this.

“I therefore sentence the Defendant to the maximum punishment prescribed under the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021 for the offence of grievous harm, which is seven (7) years imprisonment, excluding the time served in detention,” she added.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖