Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja on Thursday convicted and sentenced 47-year-old civil servant Ramoni Amore, who works for the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, to life imprisonment for defiling a 15-year-old minor.
Justice Oshodi jailed Amore for the rest of his life after he found him guilty of a two-count charge of defilement brought against him by the state government.
The convict had pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was on July 28, 2021.
The prosecution had told the court that the offence of defilement, contrary to Section 137, and attempted procurement of abortion is contrary to Section 142 (1)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
In his judgment, Justice Oshodi held that while the prosecution had proven the case of defilement, they failed to establish the case of attempted procurement of abortion.
The judge stated that “No medical expert was presented to establish that the substance given to the victim was poisonous or noxious or capable of procuring an abortion.”
Addressing Amore, Justice Oshodi said, “Your conduct was grievous, especially given your position as a law enforcement officer with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps. You abused the trust placed in you and intimidated the victim.
“I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment, and your name shall be registered as a sex offender in the Lagos State registry.”
During the proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, O. Aluko, called four witnesses: PW1, the survivor; PW2, a social worker; PW3, the survivor’s mother; and PW4, the Investigating Police Officer.
The defence counsel, Abel Iwoara, presented only one witness, the defendant himself, as DW1.
