72-year-old Man Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Defiling 7-year-old Girl In Lagos

A 72-year-old security guard, David Jackson, was on Monday, sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, for defiling a 7-year-old girl.

Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Jackson to life imprisonment and held that the prosecution had proved the three ingredients of defilement against the convict.

Delivering her judgment, Soladoye held that the survivor was 7-year-old at the time of the incident and during her testimony, identified Jackson, a gateman in one of the houses on her street, as her abuser.

“The testimony of the survivor was clear, consistent and coherent under cross-examination," he said.

“The second prosecution witness was a teacher who identified that the survivor was her student.

“She testified that one of the survivor’s classmate had reported to her that the survivor was not feeling well and she was walking in a funny way.

“The teacher, in her evidence, said that she made inquiry and discovered that the survivor was complaining of pains in her private part and that someone had s3xually assaulted her,” the judge said.

Sholadoye also held that the testimony of the survivor’s father was credible and was also corroborated with the evidence of the other two prosecution witnesses

She said that attempts by the convict to deny the charge did not hold waters.

“The defendant is consequently found guilty as charged for defilement of a 7-year old child contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 and he is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment,” Soladoye said

The judge also ordered that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offences Register as maintained by Lagos State Government.

The state Counsel, Ms Abimbola Abolade called three witnesses while the convict testified on his own behalf.

Abolade during trial informed the court that the brother of the survivor sent her on an errand on the ill fated day.

The prosecutor submitted that the convict committed the offence on May 16, 2022, on Oyedele Close, Ojodu, Berger in Lagos.

According to the prosecution counsel, as the little girl walked past the resident the guard was securing, he pounced, covered the mouth of survivor and had unlawful s3xual intercourse with her.