Bricklayer Bags Life Imprisonment For Raping 11-Yr-Old Girl In An Uncompleted Building
Kemisola Oye
A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a man, Ojo Oladeji to life imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old minor (name withheld) three times in an uncompleted building.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his judgment, held that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the charge of defilement against Ojo.
Justice Oshodi held that the confessional statement of the convict, the medical report and the direct evidence from the survivor showed that he committed the offence.
According to the court: “The prosecutrix (survivor), in her evidence, said that the defendant was a bricklayer to her neighbour and that he had lured her to an uncompleted building three times, gave her beer and had sex with her.
“I believe the prosecutrix’s direct witness testimony, her going to the Police and the hospital and the role her mother played, supported her evidence.
“Moreover, the defendant confessed to the crime, corroborating her evidence and that of the medical report.
“I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had sex with prosecutrix as she is a child who can not give consent to sexual activities.”
The judge thereafter convicted him of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Justice Oshodi held that:: ”Mr Ojo Oladeji, I have convicted you of defilement and I have listened to your plea for mercy but the evidence shows that you had sex with an 11-year-old girl, who was to your knowledge, a child.
“You also gave her alcohol and she told her mother she wanted to marry you after her primary 6 but her mother had to persuade her and play along for her to identify you.
“The psychological harm you have caused this victim may last for decades and may ruin her life and those close to her.
“Additionally, you confessed to your crime but during your trial which lasted for over a year, you made a reversal by telling lies.”
The court held that defilement was a grave offence punishable by mandatory life imprisonment.
“The law was created to demonstrate that it is not acceptable.
“Therefore, the sentence I pass upon you is one of life imprisonment,” the judge said.
The state prosecution, led by Mr Babajide Boye, called three witnesses while the defendant also called three witnesses during trial.
The prosecution submitted that the convict unlawfully had sex with the survivor sometime on 20 July 2021 at an uncompleted building on Agberuba Street, Meiran, Lagos.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015
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