Judge sends man to life imprisonment for raping girlfriend

Justice Raman Oshodi of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday sentenced a man, Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim, to life imprisonment for raping his girlfriend.

The judge arrived at the decision after finding Ibrahim guilty of the charge made against him by the Lagos State Government (LASG).

It would be recalled that the LASG had charged the convict with having sexual intercourse with his casual friend without her consent on a first visit.

Wasiu was arraigned on December 1, 2021, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The LASG had particularly stated that Ibrahim committed the offence on June 6, 2012, at his residence, Lateef Dosumu Street, and that the offence contravene the provision of Section 260 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Volume 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

In handing down his judgment, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution has proved the necessary ingredients to establish the offence of rape. 

The judge declared that the prosecution was able to demonstrate the application of force, intimidation, and threat when the defendant had sexual intercourse with the survivor.

The judge further held that the defendant’s landlord’s testimony was sufficient to corroborate and also the weight to the medical report.

Justice Oshodi said, "I listened to your counsel’s submission that I should have mercy on you. I have also considered the prosecution’s request that I must sentence you by Section 260 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (supra).

“You must not hurt people that you love. The evidence, in this case, demonstrates that you did not just rape the victim, but you did it in a ferocious and animalistic way. 

"You hit her on the face, which made it swollen. She had bloody eyes and swollen lips. You pinned her neck to your bed and raped her. A man like you, who has committed sexual violence against a woman, should be ashamed and must be punished.

“I must add that a woman or a girl who is a victim of sexual violence has committed no crime; she need not be ashamed. In this case, the victim was not ashamed. She persisted in their quest for justice.

“She gave damning evidence against you, which led to your conviction. Our laws in Lagos State have zero tolerance for sexual crimes. The charge of rape, for which you have been convicted, carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, which sends a signal that it is unacceptable!

“In your case, I do consider the seriousness of the offence to justify a life sentence, and that is the sentence I must, therefore, impose upon you. 

"Accordingly, I sentence you, Mr Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim, to life imprisonment”.

The court further ordered that his name be registered as a sex offender on the Lagos State Sexual Offenders register.

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