Jaji’s life sentence for child rape upheld on appeal

Court of Appeal rejects Opemipo Jaji’s appeal against life sentence for raping a schoolgirl in Enfield in 2013

Opemipo Jaji Sentenced for Rape

Opemipo Jaji was a student at a college in Greenwich when he was sentenced to life in prison in 2013. He followed a schoolgirl off a bus, dragged her into Jubilee Park, Enfield, and raped her.

Old Bailey judge Mr. Justice Singh described Jaji as “manipulative and a liar.” Jaji had prior convictions for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl and making indecent images of a child. The judge determined that only an indefinite prison sentence could protect the public, sentencing him to life with a minimum term of eight years, according to London Now.

An appeal against Jaji’s sentence was heard by a Court of Appeal judge at the end of 2025. Jaji, who was 18 at the time of the rape and is now 30, claimed that media scrutiny and racial bias influenced Mr. Justice Singh to impose an excessively harsh sentence.

He also argued that the judge did not consider his personal circumstances enough and that a life sentence was unnecessary when an extended sentence would have sufficed to protect the public.

Appeal Court Decision

Lord Justice Holgate, Mrs. Justice McGowan DBE, and Her Honour Judge Moreland reviewed Jaji’s appeal. They found that Jaji’s sentence was not excessively harsh.

The judges referred to a pre-sentence report stating, “There is a clear escalation of seriousness in Jaji’s pattern of offending.” They noted that this was his third conviction for a sexual offense, indicating that Jaji had become more confident and predatory.

The report highlighted indicators of recklessness, significant risk-taking, and predatory behavior towards vulnerable young girls. It also mentioned that his actions had been voyeuristic and opportunistic.

Details of the Crime

During the Old Bailey trial, the court learned that the girl was attacked while returning home from school after getting off a bus in Enfield. Jaji, who had also been on the bus after attending a probation appointment, began to follow her.

The girl felt threatened and crossed the road three times before she started to run. However, Jaji caught her and took her to a secluded area of the park, where he raped her for three hours.

Jaji denied the rape during the trial but later accepted that he committed the offense before his sentencing.