Kemisola Oye
JUSTICE Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a teenager, Damilare Olanrewaju, to five years imprisonment for indecent acr and sexual assault of a minor.
The judge sentenced Olanrewaju to five years imprisonment following his conviction on the charge brought against him by the Lagos State government.
The convict was arraigned on a two-count amended charge bordering on the indecent act and defilement dated 14 June 2023 and filed on 21 July 2023, and he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution counsel, Ms Inumidun Sholarin, had alleged that the convict assaulted the survivor in public by fondling her breasts and sexually assaulting her by caressing her buttocks with his hands.
The prosecution said his offence contravene sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State 2015.
The prosecution commenced trial before the defendant opted for a plea bargain. And he was re-arraigned on 15 October 2024.
He pleaded guilty to the two-count amended information boarding on indecent act.
However, Justice Oshodi, while delivering judgment sought to know from the convict if he understood the contents of his guilty plea and the obligation of the court to hand out the maximum sentences on the charges.
Damilare admitted he made the plea bargain voluntarily and was satisfied by the advice of his counsel.
The prosecution counsel, Sholari told the court that both parties entered a plea and sentence agreement dated 15 October 2024. The counsel informed the court that the plea bargain required filing an amended charge.
Responding to her submission, the counsel to the convict, Mr A. B. Kazeem, told the court that the defendant applied for a plea bargain and urged the court to grant the plea bargain.
Earlier, Sholari told the court that the Attorney-General approved a sentence of five years imprisonment and that the convict shall also observe one year of counselling, which shall be conducted by the Lagos State and Domestic Violence Agency, and a certificate must be issued.
She also said, “The prosecution has not called any witness before the defendant accepted the plea sentence agreement, and he has been remanded since 6 February 2023.”
The judge, therefore, sentenced Olanrewaju to five years imprisonment having found him guilty of the two amended count charge.
“I have found you guilty of indecent act and sexual assault contrary to sections 173 and 263 of the Criminal Code Law. The maximum under sections 173 and 263 are two years and three years imprisonment and it will run consecutively for five years.”
The court ordered that he must undergo counselling through the Lagos State Domestic and Violence Agency in line with his plea bargain. The court also ordered the convict to be returned to the custodial centre and for his name to be included in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
Eighteen-Eleven Media