An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos State has sentenced Idris Ashimiyu to life imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old girl.
Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday after finding Ashimiyu guilty of a one-count charge of defilement filed against him by the Lagos State Government.
The convict, who had pleaded not guilty during his arraignment, was found guilty after the court considered the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence.
According to the prosecution, led by A.A. Adeniyi, the survivor testified that she was 11 years old when the incident occurred, although she was 13 at the time of the trial.
She told the court that she knew Ashimiyu, who reportedly assisted with errands and car washing within their compound.
The survivor testified that she was outside on the day of the incident when Ashimiyu came upstairs, began touching her and subsequently sexually assaulted her.
She further told the court that her grandmother discovered what had happened after going in search of her and finding her with the convict. Ashimiyu was reportedly beaten before being taken to the police station.
In his defence, counsel to the convict, A.O. Ayode, called a witness identified as Ibrahim, who told the court that he knew Ashimiyu and was aware of the reason for his trial.
Ibrahim, however, testified that he was not present when the incident occurred because he had gone to work. He said he learnt about the matter from a neighbour.
The witness also told the court that Ashimiyu had informed him that he did not rape the child but was only playing with her.
In evaluating the evidence, Justice Soladoye said she had carefully considered the testimonies and other evidence presented before the court, including the survivor's age, the consistency of her account and the issue of consent.
The judge held that the survivor's testimony was credible and coherent, adding that the prosecution had established that she was a child at the time of the incident and had not consented to the sexual act.
She also noted that the convict did not testify in his own defence.
Justice Soladoye consequently ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Ashimiyu as charged.
The judge sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered that his name be entered in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
She said the registration was part of the court's consequential orders following the conviction.
The judgment reinforces the legal protection afforded to children against sexual abuse and underscores the consequences of offences of this nature under the law.
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