Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Court sentences Fred Akinsanya, Daniel Raji to 21 years in prison for drugging, raping 15-year-old girl

The duo bought their victim drinks at the Irish pub Paddy’s Yard in Brixton, south London, on February 8, 2025.

• March 21, 2026
UK Metropolitan Police
UK Metropolitan Police

A UK court has sentenced two Nigerians, Fred Akinsanya and Daniel Raji, to a combined 21 years in prison for drugging and raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

Inner London Crown Court, on Thursday, heard that the duo of Messrs Akinsanya and Raji bought their victim drinks at the Irish pub Paddy’s Yard in Brixton, south London, on February 8, 2025.

Afterwards, they invited their victim and some of her friends back to Mr Raji’s flat to smoke cannabis and dance. While her friends could not persuade her to leave with them, she was raped and filmed.

Sentencing Messrs Akinsanya and Raji, Judge Richards condemned them for drugging and raping their victim, lamenting the effect of their nefarious act on the 15-year-old victim.

“The fact that you two abused her one after the other clearly aggravates the matter. The victim was harmed for a long time,” Mr Richards said. “Alcohol was used to render her vulnerable, the effect of the alcohol was exploited by both of you. Whilst incapable, she was raped by both of you.”

The judge said the victim “lost her self-confidence. She can no longer go out. She will live with this for the rest of her life.”

While Mr Akinsanya, 34, was sentenced to 10 years for rape, Mr Raji, 29, was sentenced to 11 years upon being convicted of two counts of rape and taking an indecent image of a child.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Nigerian Bar Association

States

Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future

The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Politics

LG Elections: OYSIEC opens registration portal for ad hoc staff recruitment

Registration for the required positions will run from October 5 to October 20, 2026.

United States President Donald Trump

Diaspora

Trump moves to revoke U.S. citizenship of two Nigerians, 38 others

The prosecutors accused the 58-year-old of applying for immigration benefits under two different identities.

PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU

Economy

Nigeria rises four places to eighth in 2026 Bloomberg Economics Investment Risk-O-Meter

The growth was attributed to the economic policies of the Tinubu administration.

Heading 4

Longest-serving Republican speaker Dennis Hastert, soiled by allegations of molesting high school athletes, dies at 84

The deceased, who was speaker from 1999 until 2007, was sentenced in 2016 to more than a year behind bars.

Taraba state governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku

Anti-Corruption

Witness reveals how funds were moved to private accounts in ex-Taraba governor’s trial

The judge adjourned the matter till October 6, 2026, for continuation of the evidence of PW3.

JAMB

Education

JAMB moves to adopt UTME centre in Canada for 2027

The board said the centre would enable eligible Nigerians living in Canada to take the UTME without travelling to Nigeria.