Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has convicted and sentenced a school proprietor, Benson Arinze, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old pupil.

Arinze was convicted after the court found him guilty of defilement as charged by the Lagos State Government. The survivor was a pupil of Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School, IbejuLekki, where Arinze served as proprietor in 2022.

According to the prosecution, the child usually remained in school after closing hours while waiting for her parents to pick her up. Shortly after, the convict and one of the teachers started sexually assaulting the survivor.

When the survivor’s mother noticed some weird behaviour from her daughter, she interrogated her and she told her everything the convicts had been doing to her in school. The survivor’s father then reported the matter at Elemoro Police Station.

Arinze was initially charged alongside one of his teachers, Victor Ezenwata, over the alleged sexual assault by penetration of a six-year-old minor, contrary to Section 261 of the Criminal Law, C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Ezenwata was also charged with a three-count charge bordering on sexual assault by penetration, unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent treatment of a child, contrary to Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

Subsequently, Ezenwata applied for a plea bargain through his counsel, Spurgeon Ataene. Following an amended charge dated May 27, 2025, he pleaded guilty to the offences.

He was thereafter convicted and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.

Arinze, however, maintained his innocence, prompting the commencement of a full trial.

During the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, O.E. Adeoye, called witnesses, including the survivor and her father, identified as PW1 and PW2.

In her judgment, Justice AbiolaSoladoye of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court held that the testimonies of PW1 and PW2 were clear, compelling and sufficient to establish the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge further held that the evidence presented by the defence witnesses was self-serving.

The court consequently sentenced Arinze to life imprisonment and ordered that his name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register maintained by the state government.