Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a man, Ayokunle Bailey, to life imprisonment for defiling a 15-year-old girl.
According to the state prosecution team, Olusola Soneye and Olufunke Adegoke, the convict committed the offence on December 18, 2017, in an uncompleted building around the Alaka area of Mushin, Lagos State.
The defendant was charged with sexual defilement, an offence which contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
According to the prosecution team, the victim visited her grandmother on the fateful day.
While playing with other children outside the house, the convict lured her into an uncompleted building and forcefully had sex with her.
The prosecution said the convict was later arrested after the survivor walked home with blood dripping from her private parts and the defendant was identified by the survivor, who informed her aunt about the incident.
Justice Soladoye said the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against the convict.
She explained that the convict was crude and unkind, adding that he messed up the survivor’s purity and innocence.
She said, “The defendant is rough and selfish and the survivor gave her testimony truthfully, cogently, positively and brilliantly. She was brave.
“The story of the defendant is dishonest and full of lies. He is a reckless and ruthless person.
“The defendant, having been found guilty as charged is sentenced to life imprisonment without the option of fine.”
In a related development, an Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti division, has sentenced a 50-year-old man, Usman Tajudeen, to life imprisonment for raping a four-year-old girl.
The defendant was tried before the court on one count of rape and found guilty.
The charge read, “That you, Usman Tajudeen, on August 21, 2020, at Ikere Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did rape a four-year-old girl.”
The prosecutor, K.S. Adeyemo, said the offence was contrary to Section 31(2) of the Child’s Right Law, Cap.C7 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
In her statement to the police, the victim said, “Daddy Latifat (the defendant), who is living at our house, took me to his sitting room. He said I should sit on his lap; he removed my pants and put his something (penis) where I urinate. He used to call me to his sitting room to do it.”
Also, in her testimony before the court, the victim’s mother said, “I was where I was making cassava flour and my daughter went to excrete. When I went to pack the faeces, I noticed blood in the faeces.
“Thereafter, I checked her anus and saw blood coming out of her private parts. I was afraid. When I inquired from her, she said it was Daddy Latifat that put his organ (penis) in her private parts.”
The convict, who spoke in his defence through his counsel, Tope Salam, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy.
In the court judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said, “The prosecutor has established before the court that the defendant had sexual intercourse with the minor without her consent and therefore committed the offence of rape as charged.
“In all, the prosecution has proved this case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant. The sentence for the offence of rape under the Child Rights Law is mandatory; he is sentenced to life imprisonment.”
