Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Wednesday, acquitted and discharged four men accused of defiling two children.
The acquitted individuals include Messrs Ojo Taye, John Mahason, Peter Arabo, and Adenekan Adedeji.
The case involved a three-count related to defilement and sexual assault by penetration. However, Justice Oshodi ruled in favour of the defendants, citing the prosecution’s failure to substantiate the case with compelling evidence.
Justice Oshodi highlighted the prosecution’s inability to present the alleged survivors, aged five years and three years, to testify in court.
He noted the insufficiency of relying solely on the testimonies provided by the medical doctor and the investigative police officer, stressing the absence of the survivors as a crucial aspect of the case.
Citing the principle that it is preferable for nine guilty individuals to be set free than to wrongfully convict one innocent person, Justice Oshodi pronounced the defendants as “not guilty” of the charges and subsequently acquitted and discharged them.
The defendants had been in custody for eight years following their arrest by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on November 9, 2015. They consistently pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.
NAN
