metro
Lagos: Man, 79, sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl
Lagos: Man, 79, sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl
In Lagos State, One Olagbade Jeremiah has been sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.
The suspect, a 79-year-old carpenter, was convicted and sentenced by the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja, on Monday.
He was arraigned on a count sexual assault by penetration preferred against him by the state.
The prosecution sufficiently corroborated the allegation of defilement against the convict, the presiding judge, Justice Abiola Soladoye, said.
The lead prosecution counsel, Olusola Soneye, asserted that the offence committed violated Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Soneye, who is a Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that the convict sexually assaulted the victim by inserting his finger in her vagina.
According to him, the incident happened in 2021 in the workshop of the convict in the Mammy Barracks Market in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses, including the victim.
Delivering her judgment, Soladoye held that the victim testified that she used to hawk sachet water and that the convict used to buy every sachet water in her possession whenever she was not able to sell everything.
According to the judge, the victim stated in her testimony that she was given N100 by the convict every time he performed the act on her.
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She said, “He usually gave me money. Before he gives me the money, he removes my pants. Every time it happens, he gives me N100.”
Justice Soladoye also stated that the victim kept the incident as secret because she was afraid her mother would beat her.
She said the victim’s mother beat her up when she found out and gave her sachet water to hawk.
The victim said, “I could not tell my mother because she would beat me up. My pocket money was N30. So, anytime I went to him (the convict), he would give me N100.”
Jeremiah testified solely in his defence.
According to Justice Soladoye, he initially denied knowing the victim, only through the mother of the victim.
However, under cross-examination, he said he knew the victim.
The judge said, “He denied knowing the victim but admitted knowing her through her mother. He also denied having anything to do with the poor girl. Under cross-examination, he stated that the victim was known to him. He claimed not to understand the English language whereas he gave evidence in the English language before this honourable court.”
Justice Sholadoye described the convict as a “pathological liar.”
While delivering judgment, the judge held that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses was believable and truthful.
She stated that the testimony of the victim was corroborated by the other prosecution witnesses saying the witness’ testimonies were “incredible, compelling and cogent.”
She also held that their evidence established the offence of sexual assault by penetration.
She said, “I am convinced that the prosecution has proved each of the ingredients of sexual assault by penetration,” noting that the mother of the victim was also to be blamed.
She said, “The mother is blameworthy for sending her daughter to go and hawk sachet water.”
The judge also said, “The defendant is indeed a very dirty old man who took advantage of a 12-year-old girl and turned her vagina into a playhouse.”
She convicted the defendant on the one count charge of sexual assault by penetration and sentenced him to life imprisonment ordering that the name of the convict should be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register
Lagos: Man, 79, sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl
metro
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
One Onyeka Ubaka has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and maltreatment of a 16-year-old girl in Lagos State.
He was convicted and sentenced by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.
In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.
The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.
“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”
According to PUNCH, the victim, during cross-examination, gave testimony evidence that incriminate the defendant.
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In one instance, she disclosed that the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.
At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.
“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.
“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.
When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.
It is gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.
The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.
“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.
“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.
Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos
metro
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
CSP Adetayo Akerele, Chairman of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, announced the arrest of 53 suspected criminals in Gowon Estate.
Akerele said this operation aimed to boost safety, security, and environmental decorum in the area.
“The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings.
“We found various illicit drugs and narcotics, including Indian hemp, codeine syrup, and colorado,” Akerele said.
The operation brings relief to residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Egbeda, Idimu, and surrounding areas affected by these criminals.
“Residents have endured trauma and safety risks due to these unauthorized squatters.
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The taskforce is committed to safeguarding residents and ridding the metropolis of individuals preying on law-abiding citizens,” Akerele said.
The agency will monitor other criminal hideouts, blackspots, and abandoned properties.
“This vigilance aims to deter individuals with sinister motives.
“These arrests demonstrate our determination to maintain a safe environment.
“We will hold every individual involved in these illegal practices accountable,” Akerele said.
The 53 suspects will face charges for narcotics-related offenses.
Residents are urged to report suspicious activities through the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.
Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers
metro
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada after they were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by a criminal syndicate.
Speaking to Newsman in Lagos, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the seriousness of the growing trade in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.
According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to traffic vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.
He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.
“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.
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He further noted that the illegal trade affects President Tinubu’s economic reforms, which aim to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.
To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies. The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.
Adeniyi further disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.
During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts. A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.
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