Court sentences 23-year-old man to life imprisonment over defilement

A Lagos Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sentenced a 23-year-old security guard, Blessing Okon to life imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old student.

Trial Justice Abiola Soladoye convicted Okon yesterday while delivering judgement in a charge brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

The judge held that prosecution has proved the essential ingredients of defilement beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Soladoye describing Okon as shameless, as she held that the survivor was consistent in her testimony before the court which established that the defendant had been having sexual contact with her since she was nine-year-old.
The convict was 20 years old when he committed the offence on September 13, 2019 at Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The judge said that defendant is lacking in compassion, he had sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl. According to justice Soladoye, There was overwhelming evidence against him as presented by the prosecution. You therefore should pay for your sexual crime.

“The defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine. His name should be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.”

The judge however commended the chaplain of the survivor’s school, who revealed that she was defiled by the guard. The chaplain alerted her father about the crime.

“The chaplain of the school in question had a listening ear thereby allowing the victim to share her thoughts, worries, anxieties and frustration which eventually led to the reporting of this case to the authorities. I salute the chaplain’s courage and candor for not sweeping this case under the carpet. I wish him all the best and I do hope sincerely that others in positions of power will be able to speak up in issues of sexual abuse and report them to the authorities.”

During trial, the prosecution called three witnesses; the survivor, her father and a medical doctor while Okon testified solely in his defence.

In her testimony, the survivor had told court that the defendant had sexually assaulted her when she was nine-years-old by touching her breasts on two occasions.

She said he eventually defiled her when she was 14-years-old by dragging her to the staircase of her home and having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.