Security guard sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling student in Lagos
A Domestic violence and sexual offenses court in Ikeja
headed by Justice Abiola Soladoye on Monday 31 January sentenced Blessing Okon
a 23-year old security guard to life imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old
student.
Olusola Soneye and
Olufunke Adegoke the state prosecutoirs told the court that the defendant Okon
was 20 years old at the time he commited the offense of 13 September 2019. The
said act was commited at Ribadu road off Awolowo Road Ikoyi Lagos. Three witnesses were presented by the
prosecution - the survivor, a medical
doctor, and the father of the victim while the defendant testified solely in
his defense.
In her testimony, the
survivor said that the defendant sexually assaulted her on two occasions by touching
her breast when she was nine years old.
When the verdict was
passed, the presiding judge said that the prosecution was able to provide
essential ingredients of defilement beyond any reasonable doubt.
The judge described Okon as shameless while also
noting that the victim was consistent in her oral testimony before the court
which showed that the defendant have been shamelessly having contact with her
since she was nine years old.
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“This defendant is lacking in compassion he had sexual
activity with a 14-year-old girl. There was overwhelming evidence against him
as presented by the prosecution. He therefore should pay for his sex crime.
The defendant is hereby
sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of a fine.
He is to have his name
registered in the Sexual Offenders Register is maintained by the Lagos State
Government,” the judge ruled
Judge Soladoye in her judgment did not fail to commend
the Chaplain of the survivor's school who revealed the guard defiled the victim.
The chaplain alerted the victim's father about the crime.
“The chaplain of the school in question had a listening ear
thereby allowing the victim to share her thoughts, worries, anxieties, and
frustration which eventually led to the reporting of this case to the
authorities.
I salute the chaplain’s
courage and candor for not sweeping this case under the carpet.
I wish him all the best and I
do hope sincerely that others in positions of power will be able to speak up in
issues of sexual abuse and report them to the authorities” Soladoye said
