The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in the Ikeja area of Lagos State has sentenced a 64-year-old man, Lateef Durojaiye, to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s 11-year-old daughter (names withheld).
Justice Rahman Oshodi, in a judgement delivered on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, held that the prosecution proved the ingredients of defilement against Durojaye beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Oshodi said the convict’s case had a complex history as he was initially charged and arraigned on August 5, 2021, but the case was struck out on November 29, 2021, for want of diligent prosecution.
The judge said the case was re-listed to the court and was re-arraigned on April 16 and May 22, 2022, in which Durojaiye pleaded not guilty.
Justice Oshodi said the convict’s attempt to deny the offence did not hold water as the survivor did not only endure physical trauma but also the physiological burden of keeping the secret under threat.
He declared that the evidence of the survivor was corroborated by the medical report and the evidence of other prosecution witnesses.
Justice Oshodi stated that the survivor gave a direct account of how the convict defiled her.
Court sends man to prison for raping minor to death
The judge said: “The prosecutrix gave her evidence that the defendant came to their house, gave her a phone to watch blue film, and asked her if she could do what they are doing in the video.
“She went further and said ‘on November 30, 2019, he came to buy garri, I shut the door and was sleeping but I had a feeling that someone was taking off my underwear and before I could open my eye he has taken off his trouser and brought out his penis’.
“The prosecutrix said that the defendant covered her mouth with a pillow when she wanted to shout and inserted his penis into her vagina.
“The mother of the prosecutrix also testified that there were injuries on her daughter’s private part and that the defendant’s brothers gave her N300,000 to settle the case but she refused.”
Justice Oshodi, thereafter, convicted Durojaiye and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Justice Oshodi also ordered that the name of the convict be registered in the sexual offences register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.
The prosecutor had earlier told the court that on November 30, 2019, while the mother of the girl was in her shop, the convict who was a neighbour visited her residence in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and had sexual intercourse with her 11-year-old daughter.
The prosecutor also told the court that the crime was discovered five days later when the survivor was observed limping.
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