Justice Sybil Nwaka of Ikeja Special Offences and Sexual Court, Tuesday, sentenced a 58-year-old man to a 60 years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 12-year-old pupil.
Justice Nwaka sentenced Obinna Izegben after he found him guilty of the charge of defilement brought against him by Lagos State.
“This defendant is charged with the offence of defilement of a child, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal law of Lagos State 2015.
“Upon his plea of guilty, the prosecution stated the fact of the case and it was established that he was found guilty of the offence. I cannot agree less with the prosecution counsel because of the rate at which men in large number defile children.
Justice Nwaka further said that children are no longer safe with uncles, teachers and even fathers. “This is sad,” she said.
“I encourage children to come out and report all cases of assault and defilment against them. The state of Lagos has Zero tolerance for defilement.
“I hereby sentence the defendant to 60 years imprisonment with hard labour,” Justice Nwaka pronounced.
His conviction is the first since the inauguration of the special and sexual offences court on February 1, 2018.
According to the prosecution led by Mr. B.T Boye, the convict was arraigned on February 12, alongside two others, Raimi Jimoh (1st defendant) and Kazeem Arowolo Olohunwa (2nd defendant) on a three-count charge bothering on defilement.
He pleaded guilty while the two others denied the charge.
Boye said the convict, on several occasion had sexual intercourse with a 12-year old primary school pupil referred to as Child X.
“On 17th ofJune, it was observed by the school authority that Child X, a pupil at a town in Orimedu, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos was in the habit of returning late to the class after lunch hour and upon enquiry, the child admitted that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants have been having sexual intercourse with her during the break time.
“The matter was reported at the police station in Ibeju-Lekki and Child X identified the defendants and the convict as the person who often defiles her during her break period.
The prosecution also urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly.
The convict’s lawyer, A.I Bobby, however, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy considering the defendant’s age. He urged the court to grant him a lesser sentence.
In his response, Mr. Boye, state counsel, urged the court to sentence the convict as deserved.
“The defendant is the first convict of the Special Offences Court and this type of offences is becoming rampant in the society as our girl child can no longer move freely again.
“The state wants a safe environment for our children and this judgment will send a clear signal to people that the state has zero tolerance for such offences.
It is also a re-assurance to people that the state is with them in the fight against sexual offenders.”
He also said that conviction is to assure the survivors (victims) that the state will adequately protect them while he urged the victims to speak out because it is the only way to arrest the ugly situation.
