Cleaner bags life imprisonment for impregnating 12-year-old girl
A cleaner in Ekiti has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for crimes of defilement and rape.
The culprit, identified as 41-year-old Ezekiel Udoh, is said to have impregnated his neighbour’s granddaughter, aged 12.
Delivering his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, said the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the crime, adding that he took advantage of the young girl under the pretence of running errands and exploited her vulnerability and proximity.
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“Evidence before this court reveals a disturbing pattern of predatory conduct. You deliberately lured this girl to your room under the pretence of running errands and exploited her vulnerability and proximity.
“As a neighbour, most disturbingly, you engaged in sexual intercourse with her twice, showing a calculated and persistent pattern of abuse. A child was forced to bear a child, forever altering the course of her life”
“Section 137 of the Criminal Law prescribes life imprisonment for the offence of defilement, reflecting society’s utter condemnation of such an act and its determination to protect its most vulnerable members.
“This sentence serves as a deterrent to others contemplating similar crimes against children. I, therefore, sentence you to life imprisonment under Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Violence Agency Law, 2021,” the judge said.
The judge further stated that the convict’s name should be recorded in the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register.
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