Couple jailed 11 years for sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl in Lagos

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Monday, arraigned and sentenced on an amended charge, a couple, Ezimora Okechukwu, a 49-year-old, to seven years and three years consecutively for indecent handling and sexual assault, and his wife, Ezimora Obioma, to one year of community service for concealing the act of sexual assault done to their housemaid.

According to the prosecution counsel, the offences committed by the couple contravene Section 135 (1), 163 and 415 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

The court heard that the incident occurred on July 17, 2022, in the house of the convicts, in the Abule-Osun area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the victim, a 15-year-old housemaid at the time of the incident, was indecently handled, touched and sexually assaulted by Okechukwu. The victim reported the heinous act to Obioma who concealed the incident and did not report it to the authorities.

Their amended charge read, “Felony contrary to Section 135(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Did you, Ezimora Okechukwu, on July 17, 2022, at No 9, Block 19, Divine Height Street, Abule Osun, Lagos State, indecently handle a victim, a 15-year-old, by caressing her breast?”

“Sexual assault contrary to Section 163 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. Did you Ezimora Okechukwu sexually assault the victim?”

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“Accessory after the fact of felony contrary to Section 415 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. Did you Ezimora Obioma, fail to notify police when the victim age 15 years, reported to you that one Ezimora Okechukwu had sexual intercourse with her.”

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.

PUNCH Metro reports that the first defendant’s charge, which was, “Defilement contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015, was reduced after he applied for a plea bargain through his counsel. He and his wife were then granted a lesser charge and sentence.

The prosecution counsel attested to this saying, “The Honourable Attorney General considered the request on the grounds that the defendants showed remorse for their actions, were first-time offenders with no previous convictions and the impact of the conviction on the second defendant and her four young children.”

He further stated, “The Attorney General then accepted that the 2nd defendant be sentenced to a conditional discharge of one-year community service.”

Delivering his judgment, Justice Ramon Oshodi held that the act committed by the couple was heinous.

“The first defendant stands accused of a heinous act, the defilement of a vulnerable housemaid who found shelter under his roof. The second defendant, rather than being a protector or seeking justice, the second defendant is said to have become an accomplice in silence and an accessory, she stands accused of disregarding the victim’s right by concealing the alleged crime even after the occurrence. These allegations paint a picture of the horror of abuse of power and moral failure challenging our society’s most fundamental principle of care and trust,” he held.

He then sentenced the first defendant, Okechukwu, to seven years for indecent handling and three years for sexually assaulting the victim, both sentences would run concurrently, and also sentenced Obioma to one year of community service.

Couple jailed 11 years for sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl in Lagos

Three Indians abducted on Sagamu – Ijebu-Ode highway

The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the kidnapping of three Indian nationals on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway on Sunday night. The incident, involving gunmen who shot a driver and abducted several travellers, occurred around 8 pm near Delabo Junction.

Wemmy Osude, Chairman of Ilisan Development Council, reported that the driver was shot in the knee while others were forced into the forest by the attackers. The Police Spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, described the event as a “suspected abduction and armed robbery.” She revealed that gunmen in an unregistered Toyota Venza followed a man in a Toyota RAV4 Jeep, blocked his vehicle, and shot the tyres before abducting him.

The assailants also shot the driver of a Toyota Camry, injuring his left leg, and smashed the windscreen of a bus travelling from Abuja to Lagos, stealing the driver’s phone. The injured drivers were taken to Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilisan and are recovering.

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“No lives were lost, but the damaged vehicles have been recovered and towed to the police station,” Odutola stated. She assured the public that further updates would be provided, noting that the identities of the kidnapped victims were initially unknown.

On Tuesday morning, Governor Dapo Abiodun ordered security operatives to pursue the kidnappers. Later that night, the Police Spokesperson updated the situation, confirming that three Indian nationals were abducted but did not disclose their names.

“Investigations by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of Ogun State Police Command reveal that three Indian nationals were the victims of the kidnapping incident at Delabo Junction on June 30, 2024,” Odutola posted on her X handle.

Three Indians abducted on Sagamu – Ijebu-Ode highway

Couple arrested for running baby factory in Imo, eight pregnant girls rescued

A couple, Chukwudinma Umunnakwe and Comfort Umunnakwe have been arrested for allegedly running a baby factory in Imo state.

The suspects, who own Comfort Orphanage Home in Owerri, were paraded at the police command’s headquarters on Sunday.

Henry Okoye, spokesman for the Imo state police command said on Tuesday, July 2, the arrest was made possible by an intelligence report received by the operatives.

“The suspects have confessed to being in the criminal activity for over 12 years and will be arraigned in court upon completion of the investigation.

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“The suspects coerced their victims into signing a document to give away their children upon delivery for either N400,000 or N500,000 depending on the gender of the child,”  Okoye said.

One of the victims, Ijeoma, revealed that the suspects lured them to the orphanage with promises of care, but instead subjected them to inhuman treatment and threats

 “I refused to sign the document and have been asking them to allow me to leave or contact my family, but they refused till now,” she said.

The police urged residents to report any criminal activity to the nearest police station or via the command’s emergency lines.

Couple arrested for running baby factory in Imo, eight pregnant girls rescued