By ADENIKE AYODELE and MOJI ENIOLA
An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Wale Isaiah, to life imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old hawker.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Abiola Soladoye described Isaiah in her judgment as a “sexual lunatic” noting that the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.
“This defendant, Wale Isaiah, is a sexual lunatic who took undue advantage of the poor victim who was hawking wares for her mother.
“He pretended to be a prospective customer but rather tied her up, blocked her mouth and defiled her mercilessly. Luck, however, ran out on him when he was apprehended by persons who saw him fleeing after assaulting the victim.
“The defendant dragged and assaulted the victim when her mother sent her on an errand. He dragged her to an uncompleted building giving her blows and tied her hands with her wrapper and sexually assaulted her.
“The defendant is found guilty as charged and thereby sentenced to life imprisonment which is the statutory sentence.
“He should have his name entered in the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government,” she said.
The judge in her judgment cautioned parents and guardians against sending their school age children to hawk wares in the street because it leaves them vulnerable to sex predators and abusers.
NAN reports that during the trial, three witnesses- the survivor, her father and a medical doctor from the Badagry General Hospital testified for the prosecution while the convict and his father testified for the defence.
According to the Lagos State prosecuting team members comprising Mr Olusola Shoneye, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke and Mr Peter Owolabani, the defendant committed the offense at about 7.25pm on Sept. 7, 2021 in Magbon area of Badagry, Lagos.
The team said that the survivor was defiled by the defendant, while she was on her way to supply sugar and salt on her mother’s orders.
They further said that the survivor recognised the convict after she saw him at the Baale’s (community leader) house when he was brought there after being apprehended by youths in the community.
The offense contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)
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