Dredger Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Defiling Neighbour’s 10-Yr-old Daughter
Kemisola Oye
FOR defiling his neighbour’s 10-year-old daughter, Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja earlier today sentenced a dredger, Taiye Agboola to life imprisonment.
The judge convicted and sentenced Agboola after finding him guilty as charged by the Lagos State government.
Justice Oshodi held the convict’s admittance, the medical report, the testimony of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) and the testimony of the survivor’s mother all established his guilt as alleged by the prosecution.
The court held that the testimonies of the witnesses were consistent and corroborated with the evidence of the survivor that the convict penetrated her vagina with his finger.
The doctor, during the trial, told the court that when he met the survivor, she said Agboola dragged her into his brother’s room removed her pants and fingered her.
“Marabel Centre findings reported that the hymen of the victim was reddened, there was laceration and the injury around the vagina area was reddish, this is the genital examination findings”.
The judge also held that the testimony of the convict (Agboola) when he said, “On 30 August 2015, I was sleeping in my elder brother’s (Tope Agboola) room, when the survivor came, I pulled her, robbed her body and I dipped one of my right fingers in her private part.”
According to the judge, the preceding were in line with the investigating police officer’s evidence, who said the convict had confessed and admitted to having penetrated the victim’s vagina with his finger.
“There can not be a better eye witness than the account of Agboola, the convict’s confession, the IPO, and the medical report which corroborates the victim’s evidence. I accept the confession of Agboola that he put his finger in the victim’s vagina and robbed her body.”
The judge however held that the prosecution proved the burden of defilement of a child by penetration and it proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge said, “Mr Taiye Agboola, you are hereby convicted of the defilement of a child.”
However, the defendant’s counsel prayed the court to give the convict a second chance as he was a first-time offender without criminal records.
But the prosecution counsel urged the court to sentence Agboola according to the charge.
Justice Oshodi, therefore, held that” Mr Taiye Agboola, that you, an adult sexually penetrated a 10-year-old girl by fingering her vagina in her parent’s house which is supposed to be a safe place. The physical, and psychological harm and trauma you have caused the victim, will affect the growth of the victim.
“You are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment for sexual penetration of a child and your name shall be written in the register of the Lagos State sexual offenders, register.”
The court ordered that he should be returned to the Ikoyi Custodial Facility where he is currently being held.
The state had arraigned the convict on one count charge of defilement of a child.
The state had alleged that the incident happened on 30 August 2015, at No 7, Ijaiye Ojokoro, at about 3 pm
He pleaded not guilty and trial commenced. The prosecution called four witnesses who testified against the convict.
The convict testified for himself and called one witness, his friend Saheed, who testified for him.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
