The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday sentenced a 64-year-old man, Lateef Durojaiye, to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s 11-year-old girl (name withheld).

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his judgment, held that the prosecution proved the ingredients of defilement against Mr Durojaiyevbeyond reasonable doubt.

Mr Oshodi said the convict’s case had a complex history as he was initially charged and arraigned on August 5, 2021, but the case was struck out on November 29, 2021, for want of diligent prosecution.

The court said the case was re-listed to the court, and he was re-arraigned on May 22, 2022, and April 16, 2022, when he pleaded not guilty.

The judge said the convict’s attempt to deny the offence did not hold water as the survivor did not only endure physical trauma but also the physiological burden of keeping the secret under threat.

He said the evidence of the survivor was corroborated by the medical report and the evidence of other prosecution witnesses.

According to him, the survivor gives a direct account of how the convict defiled her.

The court also held that the medical doctor corroborated the witness’ testimony while giving a medical examination of discovering injuries with consistent, forceful penetration.

The judge said: “The prosecutrix gave her evidence that the defendant came to their house, gave her a phone to watch a blue film, and asked her if she could do what they are doing in the video.

“She went further and said, ‘On November 30, 2019, he came to buy garri, I shut the door and was sleeping, but I had a feeling that someone was taking off my underwear, and before I could open my eye he had taken off his trouser and brought out his penis.

“The prosecutrix said that the defendant covered her mouth with a pillow when she wanted to shout and inserted his penis into her vagina.

“The mother of the prosecutrix also testified that there were injuries on her daughter’s private part and that the defendant’s brothers gave her N300,000 to settle the case, but she refused.”

The judge, thereafter, convicted Mr Durojaiye and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The court further ordered that the name of the convict be registered in the sexual offences register as maintained by the Lagos State government.

The state lead counsel, Babajide Boye, called five witnesses: PW(1) the survivor’s mother; PW(2) the survivor; PW (3) the investigation police officer (IPO); PW(4) the nominal complainant neighbour and PW(5), the medical doctor.

The prosecution submitted that on November 30, 2019, while the mother of the survivor was in her shop, the convict, who was a neighbour, visited her residence and had sexual intercourse with her daughter.

The prosecution also told the court that the crime was discovered five days later when the survivor was observed lipping, which some witnesses said she was not walking properly.

Mr Durojaiye committed the offence on November 30, 2019, at about 3:00 p.m. at No 7 Alibaba Andrew Street, Ikorodu, Lagos.

(NAN)