Kemisola Oye
“You are an irresponsible and randy teacher who teaches his students nonsense and should be locked away.”
THESE are the words of Justice Abiola Soladoye of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court earlier today after finding a headteacher of a popular school, Benjamin Ogba, guilty of defiling two seven-year-old pupils of his school.
The judge convicted and sentenced him to double life imprisonment, even as she held that the prosecution proved the ingredients of defilement beyond reasonable doubt and to the satisfaction of the court.
The state government had arraigned Ogba for the offence he committed sometime in April and May 10 2019 at Shalom Private School, Oke-Ira Road, Ebutte Metta in Lagos.
The prosecution said that the defendant defiled the two survivors by having unlawful sexual intercourse with them.
His offence, according to prosecution, contravene Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
While handing down the judgment, the judge held that the convict was a serial paedophile and his testimonies were a pack of lies. The court further held that the defendant and his fellow defence witnesses were not truthful and credible in their testimonies.
“Their testimonies were a pack of lies and fell asunder like a pack of cards. This serial paedophile, a headteacher who is expected to teach his students morals, stooped so low and defiled the underage girls; what a shame!
“This irresponsible and randy teacher who teaches his students nonsense should be locked away.”
Justice Soladoye, however, praised the two survivors for their courage to speak up in court against their assailant, adding that sexual abuse of any sort must be reported and not swept under the carpet.
She admonished parents not to relent in reporting sexual abuse cases to the appropriate authorities.
“Continuous education and awareness of this issue of sexual menace must be at the forefront of all stakeholders in the administration of justice so as to advocate for the rights of young children.
“The defendant, having been found guilty of the two counts bordering on defilement, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the counts. The sentencing will, however, run concurrently, and his name will be registered in the sex offences register as maintained by Lagos State. ”
During trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr Olusola Soneye, called three witnesses while the defence counsel called four witnesses, tendered various exhibits before the court.
The prosecution witness had told the court how one of the girls informed her mother, and the case was reported at the station.
Eighteen-Eleven Media