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
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has disclosed that about 200,000 repentant terrorists have so far dropped their arms and surrendered to troops in the North East, noting that the twin strategy of kinetic and non-kinetic operations was responsible for this achievement.
The CDS made this known at the Security and Justice Symposium organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the British High Commission, which began at the National Counterterrorism Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
He disclosed that the theme of the symposium, ”Securing Peace, Ensuring Justice, Protection, Conduct, and Accountability,” speaks volumes about the deluge of security challenges the armed forces and security agencies are facing.
His words, “All the challenges we are facing today have to do with fairness, equity, justice, and accountability.
“There will not be peace without justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. In our operations, we are conducting both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which have to a large extent yielded significant successes, and we want to particularly thank the National Security Adviser for his great support in this regard.
“Nigeria is going through so many challenges, and we feel we’re able to address this, and everybody has a sense of belonging. A lot of the security challenges we are having, we are sure, will go down. I want to thank the National Security Advisor for all the support he’s given us, both the kinetic and the non-kinetic.
“We have said it; the kinetic aspect is just less than 30%. The non-kinetic has a lot to play. The non-kinetic, because when you have democracy, people must have the evidence of democracy. As long as it tells people to sleep well and be peaceful, and they are hungry, their children cannot eat, and all this creates more problems.
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“The issue of informants. We have to look at how we tackle this issue of informants. Because these are the people who have created the issue.
200,000 repentant terrorists surrender, drop arms in North East – CDS
metro
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
The spokesperson for the police in Delta State, SP Bright Edafe, has confirmed the death of two robbery suspects in the state.
Mr Edafe, who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday in Warri, said that the deceased were killed from the bullets shot by their gang members.
According to him, the incident occurred on Wednesday at Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Edafe explained that the deceased were leading the police surveillance team attached to the Ekpan Division to their hideout when they were caught during a shoot-out.
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“The suspects were arrested at Effurun roundabout with a bag containing 57 live cartridges and other items. They were leading the surveillance team to their hideout at Warri/Sapele road when their gang members, on sighting the vehicle of the police team, engaged them in a shootout.During the gun duel, the arrested suspects that were leading the police team were fatally wounded by the gun shot of their colleagues. The two injured suspects were taken to the hospital and later died while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Edafe said that items recovered from the hoodlums hideout included: one English pump action gun, one locally made cut-to-size gun and eight live cartridges.
Others were: six iPhones, Smart phones and a Rolex wrist watch.
He said that the command had intensified manhunt on the fleeing members of the gang.
Robbers kill two members in shoot-out with Delta police
(NAN)
metro
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