By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi on Wednesday, March n20, 2024 convicted and sentenced a man, Ojo Oladeji, to life imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old minor three times, in an uncompleted building.
Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution was able to prove the charge of defilement beyond reasonable doubt against Ojo.
Oshodi said that the confessional statement of the convict, the medical report and the direct evidence from the survivor showed that he committed the offence.
“The prosecutrix (survivor), in her evidence, said that the defendant was a bricklayer to her neighbour and that he had lured her to an uncompleted building three times, gave her beer and had sex with her.
“I believe the prosecutrix’s direct witness testimony, her going to the police and the hospital and the role her mother played, supported her evidence.
“Moreover, the defendant confessed to the crime, corroborating her evidence and that of the medical report.
“I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had sex with prosecutrix as she is a child who can not give consent to sexual activities,” the judge said
Consequently, Justice Oshodi convicted Ojo of the charge and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
”Mr Ojo Oladeji, I have convicted you of defilement and I have listened to your plea for mercy but the evidence shows that you had sex with an 11-year-old girl, who was to your knowledge, a child.
“You also gave her alcohol and she told her mother she wanted to marry you after her primary 6 but her mother had to persuade her and play along for her to identify you.
“The psychological harm you have caused this victim may last for decades and ruin her life and those close to her.
“Additionally, you confessed to your crime but during your trial which lasted for over a year, you made a reversal by telling lies,” Oshodi said, adding that defilement was a grave offence punishable by mandatory life imprisonment.
“The law was created to demonstrate that it is not acceptable.Therefore, the sentence I pass upon you is one of life imprisonment,” the judge said.
The state counsel, led by Mr Babajide Boye, called three witnesses while the defendant also called three witnesses during the trial.
The prosecutor submitted that the convict unlawfully had sex with the survivor sometime on July 20, 2021, at an uncompleted building on Agberuba Street, Meiran, Lagos.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
