TheCable

The sexual offences and domestic violence court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced one Stephen Francis to life imprisonment over an alleged rape of an 11-year-old pupil.

Francis was said to have raped the victim on August 12, 2020, at Fagbenro street, Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos.

Abiola Soladoye, the presiding judge, on Wednesday, ruled that the prosecution sufficiently proved that Francis raped the victim.

Soladoye said the confessional statements of the defendant were consistent with the testimonies of the survivor and her mother before the court.

The judge ruled that the name of the defendant should be added to the sexual offence register maintained by the Lagos state government.

“The survivor, an 11-year-old primary five pupil, identified the defendant in the dock as the man who sexually defiled her when he told her that his wife was calling her to run an errand for her,” the judge was quoted by NAN.

“The defendant took her to his house and had sex with her. She said “he took me to his room and slept with me. I went to my mother and reported to her after that we went to the police station”.

“The survivor’s testimony was consistent and unshaken under cross-examination.

“The survivor’s mother testified that she went to buy drugs for herself on the day of the incident and that she met her daughter crying by the time she got back home.

“The evidence of the prosecution witness 2 (survivor’s mother) that she examined the private part of her daughter and found sperm confirmed the narration of the survivor.

“There is no contradiction to nullify the guilt of the defendant as the evidence before the court is very clear.

“The defendant stripped her naked and had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

“I hereby find the defendant guilty as charged of the one-count charge of defilement and he is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

“The defendant should have his name registered in the sexual offence register as maintained by Lagos state.”

MAN REMANDED OVER ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT

In another related development, the sexual offences and domestic violence court sitting in Ikeja remanded one Ismaila Adamu, for allegedly ejaculating on a five-year-old girl.

Adamu was arraigned on a two-count charge of indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Soladoye ordered the remand of Adamu at Kirikiri custodial centre pending the hearing of the bail application.