Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, today, sentenced to life imprisonment, a 42-year-old man, Suleiman Usman, over his involvement in the defilement of his 8-year-old daughter.
The convicted Usman was handed life in jail after being found guilty of the charge made against him by the Lagos State Government (LASG).
It would be recalled that the LASG had arraigned Usman on two counts charges bordering on the defilement of his two daughters of 8 and 5 years respectively at his residence located at No. 2 Bale Street, Onisewo, Apapa, Lagos State.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes the provisions of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
But he pleaded not guilty to the charge. The convict was first arraigned before Justice Sybil Nwaka in October 2019 before the judge was elevated to the Court of Appeal and the case file was reassigned to Justice Oshodi.
Usman had also pleaded not guilty to the two counts, and the prosecution commenced trial.
While the trial lasted on the matter, the prosecution called four witnesses, among whom was the first survivor; the 8-year-old girl, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO), the defendant's wife (the mother of the survivors) and the medical doctor from Mirabel Centre.
After the close of the prosecution's case, the defendant opened his defence, calling three witnesses which included himself.
In her testimony, the survivor identified the defendant as her father. The first survivor had narrated to the court how her father defiled her repeatedly.
In her words: “What happened is that my daddy used to carry me every night to our parlour (living room), and he used to put his penis in my bombom".
The survivor had further testified that she informed her school teacher who is close to her mother, adding that she did not tell her mother the reason that the defendant had warned and threatened that she would die if she told her.
Also in her testimony, the survivors' mother had narrated to the judge that she discovered that her two daughters were defiled when she took the two girls to the hospital.
Usman had told the court that his wife lied against him because he wanted to relocate her to the village.
The convict also added that his wife cooked up the lie because he wanted to marry another wife and was afraid of taking the girls from her.
In his judgment, Justice Oshodi exonerated the convict of the second charge and held that the prosecution failed to prove the second charge against the defendant, as the second survivor did not testify to the 2nd charge related to her defilement.
On count one, the court held that the testimony of the first survivor corroborates the medical doctor.
“I do not believe that the first survivor was tutored. The prosecution provided evidence of a medical doctor who examined the survivor. The redness in the virgina lips, the anus was loosen and getting healed and there was penetration in the survivor's anus.
“I am convinced that the medical doctor's evidence corroborated the survivor. The mother said the crime scene was their family parlour. I do not consider the defendant's testimony as credible. I find the defendant guilty of count one”, Justice Oshodi maintained.
Consequently, the judge sentenced the convicted Usman to life imprisonment.
Justice Oshodi declared that “Our society is prone to sexual abuse. Sexual crimes against children are so prevalent. Our laws in Lagos have zero tolerance for your gang of paedophiles, that is not acceptable.
“In your case, the survivor is your daughter. You put your penis in her virgina and her anus, the survivor was 8 years at the time. She had excruciating pain.
“The medical doctor said she has an injury. What sexual pleasure do you want to derive from your child?
“I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment. Your name shall be registered in the Sexual Offenders' Register of Lagos State”.
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