By Adenike Ayodele
Ikeja – An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court On Thursday sentenced a technician Efe Akioya to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s five-year-old daughter in his room.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Abiola Soladoye held that the prosecution had proved the ingredient of defilement against the convict.
Soladoye said this was also corroborated in the vivid testimony of the survivor’s mother who found watery and smelly substance, suspected to be sperm, in her daughter’s pant after she came out for the convict’s room.
The judge said:”the survivor testified she was five years old when the defendant defiled her.
“Th defence raised the issue of medical report not being tendered. I will say that medical report is not a prerequisite in establishing the offence of defilement as there is a ample evidence before this court that are cogent, compelling and convincing that the survivor was sexually violated and she recognized ‘brother Efe’ when she saw him’.
“Her testimony was lucid, unambiguous and truthful. Aside from the vivid narration by this survivor, the evidence of the prosecution witness three,(PW3) Dr Maria Fadogba is crucial as her medical examination revealed vagina penetration.
“Also the evidence of the investigative police officer (IPO) Mr Orebe, corroborated the evidence of the survivor and her mother.
“I refer to exhibit A which was was tendered during the course of this trial, which is the extra judicial statement of the defendant at Gender Unit in Ikeja and I quote ‘today being May 12, 2020, about 3.45 p.m. I was in my room watching Gotv television, then I saw the victim pass through the passage and I called her, she sat down beside me I my room and I later carried her on my lap, from there, I releases sperm on her body’.
“The testimony of the defendant in the court denying the charge against him is an attempt to mislead the court. Exhibit A was tendered and this was the statement of the defendant,”
Soladoye said that the convict was everything a neighbour should be as the survivor identified I’m as the man that had sexual intercourse with her.
The judge also stressed that parents should not be careless with young children unattended to as the mam menance of defilement was the order of the day.
“The defendant, is vile, reckless, irresponsible and selfish by sexually violating the victim, a girl of five years old who reside in the same compound with him.
“He messed around with her purity and causing her physical, psychological and emotional trauma. This is indeed very sad and condemnable in all ramifications.
“The is need for good parenting and close monitoring can never be over emphasized.
“I have evaluated the evidence of both the prosecution and defence and I am convinced that the prosecution has proved the charge of defilement against the defendant.
“The defendant, haven been found guilty as charged, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment and should have his name registered in the Sex Offenders Register of Lagos State,” the judge said.
NAN reports that prosecution team, Mr Olusola Soneye and Ms Abimbola Abolade, presented four witnesses during the trial while the defendant and one other person testified as witnesses in the case.
Prosecution said that the convict committed the offence on May 12, 2020, on Meiran Road, Opposite Omoroga Market, Lagos, in violation of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
