The Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has sentenced a 42-year-old father, Ekpo Lawrence, to life imprisonment for defiling and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter.
Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Lawrence to life imprisonment without an option of fine on Thursday.
The presiding judge said the prosecution proved to the court beyond reasonable doubt the charge of defilement that was proffered against the defendant by the Lagos State Government.
Justice Soladoye further commended the prosecution for presenting consistent evidence to the court.
The presiding judge, who described the conduct of the Lawrence as “dirty, scandalous and unpardonable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015”, said the evidence adduced by the defendant has been inconsistent and manifestly unreliable.
Soladoye said: “The inglorious conduct of this defendant is dirty, scandalous and unpardonable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and condemnable in all ramifications.
“The immoral behaviour of having sex with his own biological daughter is toxic, absolutely disgraceful and an abomination contrary to the law of nature. It is morally reprehensible as it is incest.
“Where is the self-respect of this defendant? How absolutely bizarre. Having sex with his daughter obviously took away his ability to make rational decisions. He foolishly tampered with the purity and self-esteem of his child.
“A father should be a trusted person in the life of a child. He supposed to keep his child safe but betrayed her sexually; he ripped purity off her body and her soul.
“This is a taboo and he must no doubt face the music for his morbid, sordid sexual misconduct.
“For the above stated reasons, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.
“He is to have his name registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.”
The Star reports that the prosecution led by Mrs. Bola Akinsete told the court that the defendant, when he was 39 years old, had unlawful sexual intercourse with his 15-year-old daughter between December 2018 and June 2019 at his home in the Agege area of Lagos State.
During the trial of Lawrence, no fewer than four witnesses including the survivor, a medical doctor from the Mirabel Centre (a Sexual Assault Referral Center), Dr. Maria Fadaka, a social worker, and police officer testified for the prosecution.
Fadaka told the court that after examining the survivor, her findings revealed evidence of vaginal penetration and early pregnancy.
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