TheCable

The Lagos sexual offences and domestic violence court has sentenced one Success Odigoma Ude to 14 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy with hearing and speech impairments.

Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, said the prosecution proved the case of sexual assault against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

The prosecution told the court that Ude sexually assaulted the boy in the Ilufe area of Ojo, Lagos, between May 2021 and August 2021.

The prosecution said the offence was contrary to the provision of section 261 of the criminal law, Ch. 17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos state, 2015.

Odigoma pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was first arraigned on February 17, 2022.

During the trial, the prosecution presented five witnesses against the defendant.

The defendant testified for himself while eight documents marked A to I were tendered as exhibits.

Giving the ruling, the presiding judge held that the victim was a young boy of 13 who could not consent to sexual activities.

The judge said he considered all the evidence presented in the case to find the defendant guilty and convicted him under section 262 of criminal law.

He held that the defendant was initially charged with the offence of sexual assault by penetration under section 261, which attracts a life sentence.

However, Oshodi said he found that the evidence established an attempt, rather than a complete offence.

Oshodi sentenced Ude to 14 years in prison and ordered that his name be registered as a sex offender.

“The term is to run from the date of your remand on September 1, 2021,” he ruled.

“This sentence sends a clear message that sexual exploitation of society’s most vulnerable members, especially children with disabilities, will be met with punishment.

“I can only hope that during your period of incarceration, you will come to appreciate the enormity of the harm you inflicted on an innocent child for your perverse gratification.”