Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has rendered a verdict in the case of an apprentice, Godwin Ogboniya, finding him guilty of sexually assaulting his employer’s nine-year-old daughter. She subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Justice Soladoye delivered her judgment on Monday, October 16, after determining that Ogboniya was guilty of the one-count charge of sexual assault by penetration filed against him by the state government. During the trial, the prosecution, represented by Ms. Abimbola Abolade, informed the court that the convict committed the offense between 2019 and 2021 at Ogbewi Street, Cele Egbe in Ikotun, Lagos. Abolade further explained that the victim’s father reported the case to the police after the survivor mustered the courage to disclose her ordeal to him.
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Throughout the trial, four witnesses were called to testify, with the convict being the sole witness. In her judgment, Justice Soladoye concluded that the prosecution had convincingly established the elements of the crime against Ogboniya beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge also stated that the defendant, who had been residing with the survivor’s father for three years, was an unscrupulous and unworthy employee who engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with the nine-year-old girl.
Justice Soladoye dismissed the defendant’s claim that the survivor’s mother had attempted to seduce him, deeming it a self-serving statement and an afterthought without merit.
“The nine-year-old girl recognised the defendant in the dock as the man who sexually assaulted her on several occasions when her parents were not at home. The survivor said and I quote ‘he helps my daddy when nobody is around, carries me to the toilet and asks me to pee, takes me back to the parlour, puts his finger in my bumbum and also puts his penis in my vagina’.
Upon careful review of the evidence adduced before this court both oral and documentary, the survivor’s testimony was lucidly corroborated with other prosecution witnesses which were very compelling.
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The investigative police officer, through whom the medical report was tendered, was very detailed, upright and diligent in her testimony.
This defendant, haven found guilty as charged, penetrating the vagina of the young victim, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.’’ the judge ruled
