Man Jailed For Life For Defiling Neighbour’s 5-Yr-Old Daughter
Kemisola Oye
JUSTICE Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a man, Ugochukwu Onuoha to life imprisonment for the defilement of a five-year-old neighbour’s daughter.
The judge, while delivering judgment in a defilement case the Lagos State government brought against Onuoha, held that the prosecution had established beyond reasonable doubt that the prosecutrix was a child at the time of the incident.
The prosecution counsel, Adedipupo Adewetan had alleged that the defendant committed the offence on 20 June 2021 at Achakpo Street, Olodi Apapa area of Lagos when he defiled the five-year-old girl by having sexual intercourse with her.
The prosecution said the defendant’s offence was contrary to the provision of Section 137 of the Criminal Code Law, Ch. C17, Vol 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
However, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecutrix’s mother’s evidence that the defendant apologised and promised not to do it again was an admission. It also corroborates the prosecutrix’s evidence.
“There is abundant evidence that the defendant committed the crime. I believed the prosecutrix when she testified before me. She was resolute that it was the defendant that penetrated her vagina with his penis.
“She maintained this during cross-examination and gave further details to embellish her evidence in chief.
“Regardless, the evidence shows that you had sexual intercourse with the victim, who, to your knowledge, was a child. According to the medical evidence, by the age of the victim, the sexual intercourse you had with her could cause vagina bleeding and may lead to death. “
The court further held that the medical evidence also shows short and long-term impacts on the victim. “The sexual intercourse that you had with the victim could cause structural damage to the vagina, the uterus, and other surrounding organs. The psychology of the victim was affected and may require years of counselling.”
The court therefore found the defendant guilty as charged, even as the court noted that the defendant showed no remorse.
“You offered no words of consolation for the victim and her family. I do not know at this time what the total ramifications will be for the victim. The extent of damage you have done to the victim for your sexual gratification is mind-boggling.
“Our laws in Lagos State have zero tolerance for sexual crimes. The charge of defilement, for which you have just been convicted, carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, which signals that it is unacceptable”.
The judge therefore sentenced him to life imprisonment and also ordered that his name be registered as a sex offender in the Lagos State Sexual Offender’s Register.
Eighteen-Eleven Media
