The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a 26-year-old carpenter, Tayo Akinboyewa, to life imprisonment for having sexual intercourse with his neighbour, a 12-year-old primary pupil.

Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against Mr Akinboyewa.

Mr Oshodi said he was satisfied with the survivor’s testimony that the defendant had sexual intercourse with her, which was corroborated by the medical report (exhibit h-h2).

He said the defendant confessed in exhibit G that he had sexual intercourse with the prosecutrix twice.

The judge said the evidence and testimony of the prosecutrix’s mother and the investigative police officer linked the defendant to the crime.

“The prosecutrix, in her evidence, said the defendant, who both stayed on the same street in Oshodi, came to her house to borrow a fetcher to draw water in her house and, in the process, used the rope of the fetcher to draw her closer and forcefully had sex with her in the backyard.

“She narrated that the first occasion was in December 2020, while the second time was in January 2021, when he came to her mother’s shop near the canal and had sex with her.

“Outside the defendant’s confessional statement, I have looked for other credible evidence that the defendant had sex with her,” he said.

The judge further said the defendant’s confessional statement satisfied all the legal requirements of a confessional statement.

Mr Oshodi said it would not be in society’s interest to allow a man who had confessed to his crime to walk out of the court as a free man because he had a change of mind.

“Therefore, considering all the evidence presented in the case, I hereby find the defendant guilty and convict him under section 137 of the Crim Law (supra).

“Your actions were a gross violation of the victim’s innocence, dignity and bodily integrity,” he stated.

The judge said he had considered the seriousness of his offence, the victim’s age, the breach of trust and the physical and psychological impact on the victim.

“The depravity of your acts warrants a lengthy prison sentence both to punish you and to send a strong deterrent message that sexual abuse of children will not be tolerated.

“Therefore, I sentence you to life imprisonment; you will be registered as a sex offender, and while in incarceration, I urge you to reflect deeply on your actions and strive for redemption,” the judge ruled.

The state counsel, led by Babajide Boye, called three witnesses, while the defendant testified as the sole witness.

The prosecution submitted that the convict committed the offence sometime in May 2021 on Titilayo Street, Oshodi, Lagos.

(NAN)