Married man bags life sentence for repeatedly defiling neighbour’s 9-year-old daughter
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has convicted and sentenced a 44-year-old man, Oto Edet, to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s nine-year-old daughter (name withheld).
The judge handed down the verdict on Tuesday after finding the convict guilty of the offence.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution was able to prove the one-count charge of defilement against Edet.
She further held that Edet was a “pathological liar” and “a dirty neighbour” who should be ashamed of the hideous act.
According to her, the convict exhibits unwholesome conduct by descending so low as to have unlawful sexual intercourse with his neighbour’s daughter.
READ ALSO: Man bags life imprisonment for defiling 10-year-old girl
She said: “He is a dirty neighbour who was found boxers down with his neighbour’s naked daughter.
“The survivor was lucid in her testimony before this court about how the defendant had unlawful sexual intercourse with her on numerous occasions.
“The survivor maintained in her evidence that ‘he had put his penis in my bum bum before and that was when his wife gave birth’ and said she was ordered to go sweep the compound but did not return after a while.
“She said a search led her mother to the door of the defendant when her pair of slippers was found outside his door, and she was found naked behind inside the defendant’s house.
The judge also stated that the prosecution successfully proved compelling evidence against Edet, convicted him and subsequently sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Soladoye ordered that his name should be registered in the sexual offences register of Lagos State.
READ ALSO: Police arrest 33-year-old man for defiling 9-month-old baby
She also advised parents and guardians to be more vigilant in training their children and wards.
The judge also called on stakeholders in the justice sector to continually preach the gospel of zero tolerance to sexual abuse.
During the trial, the Lagos State prosecution counsel, Ms Abimbola Abolade, called three witnesses through whom four exhibits were tendered in evidence against the convict.
The defence counsel, however, did not call witnesses but rested on the prosecution’s case.
Abolade told the court that the convict committed the offence between 2020 and 2021 on Solomon Toriola Street, Abaranje, Olorun area of Lagos.
According to the prosecution, the offence committed contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
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