Kemisola Oye
A Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja earlier today sentenced a herbal healer, Segun Shina, to 14 years imprisonment for attempting to sexually assault a 10-year-old (name withheld), who was suffering from epilepsy.
The defendant was initially arraigned on 4 April 2021 on a charge of defilement by the Lagos State government.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and counsel to the state government, Ms Bukola Okeowo, had called two witnesses including the survivor’s mother and an investigative police officer through whom compelling evidence and exhibits were tendered in evidence.
The survivor’s mother had in her evidence-in-chief told the court that the survivor was suffering from epilepsy and she had taken her to the defendant for healing.
“He gave my daughter something to drink and she vomited. He later told me that my daughter would have to stay for a few days with him to perfect her healing but she later got back home and said that Shina had sex with her,” the mother of the survivor had said.
The prosecutor, however, informed the court on 2 February 2025 that the defendant, through his counsel, Mrs Rukayat Owolabi, had entered a plea bargain agreement which necessitated the amendment of the charge to attempted sexual assault by penetration.
The amended charge was read to Shina and he pleaded guilty to it.
Justice Rahman Oshodi held that based on the evidence before the court, the medical report and also the voluntary guilty plea of the defendant are enough proof that Shina committed the offence.
Justice Oshodi, thereafter, convicted the defendant as charged.
The judge held in his judgment that he was satisfied that the convict duly understood the nature of the plea bargain as his counsel had explained it to him.
The court held: “Segun Shina, you have pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault by penetration of a 10-year-old girl suffering from epilepsy.
“I must emphasize that the charge you were earlier charged with carries life imprisonment. You exploited the child seeking help for epilepsy and you also betrayed the trust placed in you as a traditional herbal healer.
“I have considered your plea for mercy, your lawyer’s allocutus, submission of the prosecutor and I hereby sentence you to 14-year jail term.”
Justice Oshodi further held that the sentence should commence on 16 November 2028, the day of his arrest.
The court also ordered the family of the convict to ensure his rehabilitation upon release.
“You shall have no direct or indirect contact with the family of the survivor and your name shall be registered as a sex offender under the law,” the judge held.
The offence, according to the prosecution, violates Section 262 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
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