Court sentences teenager to five years imprisonment for sexual assault

Man bags one year, five months jail for N18.3m fraud

A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a teenager, Damilare Olanrewaju, to five years in prison for indecently assaulting a minor.

Justice Rahman Oshodi handed down the sentence after Olanrewaju pleaded guilty to a two-count amended charge of indecent act and sexual assault. The charges were brought against him by the Lagos State government.

The court heard that Olanrewaju publicly assaulted the victim by fondling her breasts and caressing her buttocks. The prosecution, led by Ms Inumidun Sholarin, argued that his actions violated Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Olanrewaju initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty after entering into a plea bargain agreement. Justice Oshodi ensured that Olanrewaju understood the implications of his guilty plea and the possibility of receiving the maximum sentence.

Olanrewaju confirmed that he voluntarily entered the plea bargain and was satisfied with the advice of his counsel, Mr A.B. Kazeem. The plea bargain agreement included a sentence of five years imprisonment and one year of counselling to be conducted by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.

In sentencing Olanrewaju, Justice Oshodi stated, “I have found you guilty of indecent act and sexual assault contrary to sections 173 and 263 of the Criminal Code Law. The maximum under sections 173 and 263 are two years and three years imprisonment, and it will run consecutively for five years.”

The court also ordered that Olanrewaju’s name be included in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register. In a separate case before a Special Offences Court, Justice Mojisola Dada sentenced Olufunsho Aladenola to one year and five months in prison for defrauding Mrs Olabisi Akinmola of N18.3 million. Aladenola pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of stealing and forgery brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court heard that Aladenola converted N18.3 million, belonging to Mrs Akinmola, to his use. His offences contravened Sections 278, 285, and 363 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

Justice Dada adopted the plea bargain agreement, which included a prison sentence without the option of a fine and restitution of N8 million to the complainant.

Aladenola had already restituted N12 million before sentencing. The judge ordered that the sentence commence from the date of Aladenola’s arraignment, April 26, 2023.