Court Frees Security Guard Accused Of Raping 14-Yr-Old Girl 

Kemisola Oye 

A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday (today) discharged and acquitted a 46-year-old security guard, Victor Godwin, charged with defiling a 14-year-old girl.

Justice Abiola Soladoye held that the prosecution failed to prove the three legs of defilement against Godwin.

Justice Soladoye held that the court was unable to determine the age of the alleged survivor as she was not in court to give evidence.

According to the judge: “The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in this case was the only soul that testified and she can not cry more than the bereaved.

“What is important in this case is the evidence adduced and the evidence of the IPO, as far as this court is concerned, is of no moment as the victim, who should have been here physically to tell her story and speak up, was not presented before this court.

“The IPO had testified before this court that the alleged survivor and her mother reported that the defendant, sometime in September 2017 accosted the girl on her way to buy something and dragged her inside to have unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

“But the girl in question was not produced by the prosecution to give her ordeal before the court.”

Justice Soladoye therefore held that the prosecution did not prove the charge of defilement against Godwin and she consequently discharged and acquitted him.

The judge also cautioned prison officials to allow defendants to come with mufti to court.

“In case any defendant is discharged, he or she can switch from prison uniform to mufti because there are a series of complaints that those discharged and acquitted by courts are unduly further detained by prison officers,” she said.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015. 

Eighteen-Eleven Media