A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday sentenced a 72-year-old security guard, David Jackson, to life for raping a 7-year-old girl.
Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the sentence after concluding that the prosecution had successfully proven the three essential elements of defilement against Jackson.
In her judgment, Justice Soladoye noted that the survivor was seven years old at the time of the incident and identified Jackson as a gateman in one of the houses on her street during her testimony, which she gave at the age of eight.
Prosecuting counsel Ms. Abimbola Abolade presented three witnesses, while Jackson testified as the sole witness in his defense.
The prosecution argued that Jackson committed the offense on May 16, 2022, at Oyedele Close, Ojodu, Berger in Lagos.
According to the judge, “The facts of the case were that the survivor’s brother sent her on an errand on the day of the incident. When she passed by and greeted the defendant, Jackson, he dragged her inside a room. When she shouted, he covered her mouth with a handkerchief.”
“The testimony of the survivor was clear, consistent and coherent under cross-examination.
“The second prosecution witness was a teacher who identified that the survivor was her student and she testified that one of her classmate had reported to her that the survivor was not feeling well and she was walking in a funny way.
“The teacher, in her evidence, said she made an inquiry and discovered that the survivor was complaining of pains on her private part and that someone had sexually assaulted her.”
Justice Soladoye further stated that the survivor’s teacher had invited her parents, but they did not respond. Consequently, the teacher reported the case, and the survivor was referred to the Mirabel Medical Centre in Ikeja. The medical report from the center was then forwarded to the police.
In its judgment, the court found the testimony of the survivor’s father to be credible and corroborated by the evidence of the other two prosecution witnesses.
The judge also held that the convict’s attempts to evade the charge were unconvincing and did not hold water.
She said, “The father of the survivor who testified, identified the defendant as a security guard around his neighborhood and said he was with his wife, who was ill in the hospital when the incident happened.
“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were credible, convincing, compelling and the prosecution proved the case of defilement against the defendant.
“First, the survivor was a child as she came to the court to testify, secondly the defendant had sexual intercourse with her and there was no consent as the survivor is a minor”
“The defendant is consequently found guilty as charged for defilement of a 7-year old child contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state 2015 and he is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”
The judge also ordered that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offences Register as maintained by Lagos State Government.
