Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, convicted and sentenced one Idowu Adegoke to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his neighbour’s seven-year-old daughter.
Justice Soladoye sent Adegoke to jail for the rest of his life after she held that the prosecution had proven the charge of sexual assault against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.
The state prosecutor, Olusola Soneye, had told the court during trial that the convict sexually assaulted the minor by penetrating her vagina with his fingers.
Soneye had also informed the judge that the convict, who committed the offence on November 28, 2018, at Ayantaga Street, Mushin Lagos, violated Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In her judgment, Justice Soladoye, held that the evidence of the convict was self -serving and only made to distance himself from the allegations against him.
The judge also stated that the convict was a pathological liar as his documentary testimony was at variance with his oral testimony.
She said, “The defendant was dishonest and deceitful by saying he did not have any contact with the survivor on the day in question or any other day at all.
“In the same breath, stated that he saw the victim attempting to use the bathroom with fresh concrete work done and spoke to her not to use the bathroom.
“The defendant also told the court that he informed the survivor’s mother that he was only trying to tell the victim about the concrete work done on the bathroom floor.
“This is an attempt to lie his way out of the case.
“The court finds that the evidence of the respective witnesses were truthful, credible, cogent and believable.
“The conduct of the defendant is unbecoming of a neighbour and condemnable.
“The court having found the defendant guilty as charged, he is consequently convicted and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment.
“His name is also to be entered in the Sexual Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government,” Justice Soladoye held.
