An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday sentenced a 52-year-old man, Akin Isaac, to 21 years imprisonment for defiling and  impregnating his 18-year-old daughter.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo sentenced the convict to 21 years imprisonment following his plea bargain application, dated April 21.

“In view of the guilty plea of the defendant to one count of defilement,  I hereby find the defendant guilty as charged,” Mr Taiwo said.

The judge thereafter asked the defendant if he had anything to say, following his conviction.

The convict knelt down in the dock and pleaded for mercy, saying he had an aged mother to look after.

Mr Taiwo, thereafter sentenced him to 21 years in prison and added that the sentencing should  take effect from June 2020 when he was arrested.

Earlier, the judge had asked the State Counsel, Omowumi Bajulaye-Bishi, if the 21 years plea bargain was good enough for the convict, owing to how emotional the survivor was while she was giving her testimony.

“I remember the survivor clearly. She was weeping right here in the box. Abortion, pregnancy, drugs, beating and all sort of inhuman treatment meted on her by her father?

“Do you think 21 years is good enough for him?,” the judge asked.

Ms Bajulaye-Bishi, in her review of facts dated  July 6, had informed the court that the convict applied and concluded to change his plea, upon which the information against him be amended to the offence of defilement.

The prosecutor said that the defendant had started having an unlawful sexual intercourse with his 18-year-old daughter while she was six years old, which resulted into at least one pregnancy.

She also submitted that the defendant attempted to procure abortion for her and regularly administered drugs to her to prevent pregnancy.

“Trial opened on February 7 in which the prosecution called four witnesses.

“The defendant, however, approached the state through his counsel to enter into a plea bargain agreement,” Ms Bajulaye-Bishi said.

The offence, the prosecution said committed the offence between 2014 and 2020 on Akinlagbe Street, Alapere Lagos.

The offence contravened Section 137 of the  Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. 

(NAN)