A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, sentenced a 32-year-old carpenter, Onyekachi Agu, to seven years imprisonment with hard labour, for pouring substance suspected to be an acid on his ex-girl friend and his rival. The substance caused grievous bodily harm to his ex-girlfriend, Aishat Adefarati and the rival, Mansur Ahmed.

In her judgment, the trial judge, Oyindamola Ogala, found the convict guilty of one-count charge brought against him by the Lagos State government.

The judge held that the prosecution proved the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. According to the judge, the prosecution’s case is premised on circumstantial evidence because the victims said they did not see the defendant’s face when he poured the corrosive substance through the window of the hotel as they were sleeping.

“Pouring corrosive substance on the victims was never contradicted by the defendant. The action of the defendant was considered as intentional.

The victim showed the court that the substance damaged his body, his face, eye, neck, even the money in his pocket. “The testimony of the first prosecution witness’s (PW1) (Adefarati) showed that the defendant was harassing and assaulting her, which made them to go their separate ways after three years in relationship,” the court held.

During the trial, the prosecution called four witnesses, including; Ahmed, Adefarati, police inspector and the Investigation Police Officer (IPO), the officer, PW4, told the court how the defendant was arrested and his statement obtained.

When Adefarati and Ahmed were cross-examined, they confirmed that they did not see the person that poured the acid, but suspected the defendant because he has been attacking and harassing them.

Justice Ogala said the law is trite on the circumstantial evidence as well as the confessional statement of suspect. “The defendant in his defence had told the court that his girlfriend got pregnant for him and aborted it.

“The retraction of the defendant’s confession statement was meant to deceive the court, having pleaded guilty at his arraignment before a lower court.

“The defendant did not present any evidence of alibi in testimony. He could not give the court the date and the day he claimed he was going to his brothers’ house and his brother was not called to testify. The court therefore found him guilty,” the judge added.

Before the sentencing, the defendant’s lawyer from the Office of Public Defence (OPD), U.E Omolola, had pleaded for mercy, urging the court to consider the young age of the defendant , who has learnt his lessons.

In the case, Lagos State government had alleged the defendant committed the offence on July 3, 2020 at a hotel in Mile 12, Lagos.

According to the state, the convict traced the two complainants to the hotel and poured acid on them. His offence contravened the provisions of sections 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015