Ekiti Court sentences woman to 7-yr imprisonment for mutilating Boyfriend’s manhood

A High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has sentenced a 35-year-old woman, Joy Ikoja, to seven years imprisonment for inflicting grievous injuries on her boyfriend after allegedly catching him in bed with another woman.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Oyinkansola Oluboyede at Court 9 of the Ekiti State High Court, followed the court’s finding that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant caused serious bodily harm to her lover, Ibrahim Usman, during a violent altercation.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted Ikoja of the charge of attempted murder, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the essential ingredients of the offence, including intent to kill or the use of a lethal weapon.

The case stemmed from an incident that occurred on April 12, 2025, at the Irona area of Ado-Ekiti. According to court records, Ikoja and Usman had cohabited as romantic partners in a single-room apartment for about three years before the relationship turned sour.

Trouble reportedly began after Ikoja allowed her friend, Mayowa Ayomide, who was experiencing accommodation challenges, to move into the apartment with Usman’s consent. Investigations later revealed that Usman and Ayomide allegedly developed an intimate relationship while living under the same roof.

On the day of the incident, Ikoja allegedly returned home and found the room locked from the inside. After gaining access, she reportedly caught the pair in a compromising situation.

The confrontation quickly turned violent as Usman allegedly attempted to shield Ayomide from Ikoja’s anger. During the struggle, Ikoja reportedly grabbed Usman’s genitals with force, leaving him with severe injuries to his scrotum.

The victim was rushed to the Police Cottage Hospital in Okesa, Ado-Ekiti, where he received emergency treatment before being referred to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital after complications developed and the injury became infected, requiring specialist urological care.

The Ekiti State Ministry of Justice prosecuted the case on a two-count charge bordering on attempted murder and causing grievous harm under the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by F.O. Awoniyi, called four witnesses, including police investigators and the attending medical doctor. The prosecution also tendered documentary and photographic evidence, the defendant’s confessional statement and a medical report linking the injuries to the incident.

The defendant, represented by counsel from the Legal Aid Council, Adeyinka Opaleke, pleaded not guilty. She denied making the confessional statement presented by the prosecution and insisted that although an argument occurred, she did not inflict the injuries sustained by Usman.

In her judgment, Justice Oluboyede held that the prosecution successfully proved the charge of grievous harm beyond reasonable doubt, describing the evidence against the defendant as direct, credible and corroborated by medical findings and police testimony.

The judge rejected the defendant’s denial, describing it as an afterthought, and noted that her extra-judicial confession was consistent with other evidence presented before the court.

Justice Oluboyede also expressed concern over the growing cases of domestic violence fuelled by anger, jealousy and uncontrolled emotions, stressing that violence could never be justified regardless of the circumstances.

She further observed that the defence could have explored a plea bargain with the prosecution instead of proceeding through a full trial despite what she described as overwhelming evidence against the defendant.

According to the judge, such an approach could have reduced legal expenses, shortened the period of incarceration, ensured quicker resolution of the case and afforded greater privacy to the victim.

Consequently, the court sentenced Joy Ikoja to seven years imprisonment, the maximum punishment prescribed under Section 255 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021, with the period already spent in detention excluded from the prison term.

Justice Oluboyede said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to individuals who resort to violence in resolving domestic or relationship disputes, reiterating that emotional provocation cannot excuse criminal conduct.