In a significant ruling on Wednesday, the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, under the jurisdiction of Justice Rahman Oshodi, sentenced Alex Michael and Yakubu Isiaka to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl.
The offenders will serve their sentences at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State.
Justice Oshodi, after carefully considering the evidence presented by the prosecution, concluded that Michael, a cobbler, and Isiaka, a cleric, were guilty of the crime of defilement beyond any reasonable doubt.
The convicts failed to provide any statements or evidence to challenge the accusations levelled against them.
“The only statement before the court is the confession by Michael, corroborated by the Investigating Police Officer, who testified that the convict admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim on three occasions.
“Furthermore, I believe that Michael had the opportunity to commit the crime as he was a neighbor of the victim,” Justice Oshodi said.
The judge noted that both defendants confessed to the police at Owutu Police Division in Ikorodu that they had engaged in sexual acts with the underage girl.
Prosecutor Babajide Boye earlier informed the court that the offenses were committed between October and November 2019 in Ikorodu, which violated the Criminal Laws of Lagos State (2015).
According to Boye, Michael admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim three times, justifying his actions by claiming that the girl flirted with him and shared pornographic material involving the victim on his mobile phone.
On the other hand, Isiaka was found to have had sexual intercourse with the girl twice, offering her N500 on the first occasion and N200 on the second.
The court subsequently sentenced the duo to life imprisonment for the two-count charge of defilement.
Justice Oshodi also directed that the names of the convicts be registered in the sex offenders register maintained by the Lagos State government.