The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has sentenced Sunday Uche to life imprisonment after being found guilty of defiling a four-year-old girl.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), an agency of the state overseeing sexual misconduct and related matters.
Uche, a 21-year-old groundnut trader, was remanded in custody on the 1st of February, 2017, after pleading not guilty to a count of defilement by penetration laid against him by the state. This was contrary to his testimony in court.
I was at home when a small boy brought a four-year-old girl to my house to beg for groundnuts, so I decided to have sexual intercourse with her. After everything, I gave her some groundnuts. The small baby cried. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I was so eager,” he said
The prosecution counsel, I.D. Solarin maintained that the offence committed by Uche contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
Justice Rahmon held that the evidence presented found the defendant (Uche) guilty beyond reasonable doubt under Sections 135i and 139 of the Criminal Law of Lagos.
Based on the evidence presented, a statement of the IPO of the Sabo Police Command, Lagos State, a statement from the victim’s mother, the police referral for medical examination, a detailed medical report from Mirabel Centre dated February 2, 2017, and the defendant’s statements, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos,” Justice Rahmon said, as he gave his ruling.
The ruling has shown the state’s zero-tolerance policy for sexual offenders while reiterating its commitment to ensuring perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
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