An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Tuesday sentenced a middle-aged artisan, Gbenga Olasunkanmi, to life imprisonment for defiling a 12-year-old customer in his shop.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Abiola Soladoye handed down the sentence after finding him guilty of a charge of defilement of a minor proffered against him by the Lagos State government.
“Pouncing on an innocent young girl is something that should be condemned in all ramifications as she has now suffered emotionally and psychologically. This callous defendant is mean and vicious and is not fit to live in a sane society,” said Soladoye.
The judge said the evidence of the prosecution witnesses had been compelling, consistent and the prosecution had proved the offence of defiling a child under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“The defendant having been found guilty of the offence as charged is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of any fine. His name Gbenga Olasunkanmi should also be registered in the Sex Offenders Register kept by the Lagos State government. This is the judgment of the court,” the judge ruled.
According to the state prosecutor, Peter Owolabani, the convict, who is a bag repairer, committed the offence at 5:00 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2017 in Isolo, Lagos.
The survivor had gone to repair her schoolbag and when she returned her mother noticed that the bag was not properly repaired and told her to return to the artisan to properly repair the bag.
“After he repaired the bag for the second time, as the survivor was leaving, the convict pulled her back and forcefully defiled her in his shop,” the prosecutor said.
NAN reports that during the trial, three witnesses – the survivor’s father, the survivor and a medical doctor – testified for the prosecution, while the convict testified solely in his defence.
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