For defiling his neighbour’s eight-year-old daughter in a toilet, a bricklayer, Azeez Shoderu (a.k.a Chisco), has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, sentenced Shoderu yesterday after finding him guilty as charged by the state government.

The judge held that the prosecution had sufficiently proven the charge of defilement against him.

The judge held that the defendant’s narrative was inconsistent and that he was entirely satisfied that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, based on the direct evidence of the survivor and the circumstantial elements of defilement.

“The evidence presented in court against the convict that the survivor was a child was overwhelming, and that the incident occurred on July 27, 2022, where the defendant had unlawful sexual intercourse with the child,” he said.

The judge also held that the defendant admitted to interacting with the child at the compound, where he claimed to have asked the child to bring water to him in the toilet.

The child narrated that she went to urinate at the bathroom where the convict thereafter covered her mouth, placed her on his lap and had a sexual act with her. However, the convict denied that anything had happened when taken to the police station.

When the convict was arraigned on September 29, 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge held that the convict was a squatter at 25 Ago-Hausa Street, Ajegunle, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Local Government Area, Lagos, where he interacted with the child, and confirmed that he was at a toilet facility where the survivor was also present.

Justice Oshodi held that the medical report corroborated the evidence of the survivor, as well as that of the Investigating Police Officer, adding that the medical doctor’s evidence demonstrated that the convict had committed the offence.

The judge, therefore, said that a child who has not attained the age of 18 is incapable of consenting to sexual activity.

He further held that the child provided eyewitness testimony.

“Her evidence was consistent throughout her examination-in-chief that the defendant removed her pants and put her on his lap.

“The defendant should have his name registered in the sexual offence register as maintained by Lagos State,” he said.

The judge said that the convict’s action had undoubtedly inflicted deep psychological wounds that might take a lifetime to heal.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, O.S. Dada, had called three witnesses and tendered exhibits in court to prove the charge against the convict. At the same time, the defendant testified in his defence.

However, in his plea of mercy after the court found him guilty as charged, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant is a first-time offender who has learnt a big lesson.

But Dada urged the court to sentence the defendant accordingly, that he exploited his position and the victim’s vulnerability to satisfy his unlawful sexual desires.

“The victim was eight years old—a child who should have been safe in her home environment,” he said.

After the counsel’s submissions, the judge pronounced the defendant guilty of the offence of defilement and sentenced him to life imprisonment.