Carpenter Sentenced To Life In Prison Over Sexual Assault
By Felix Kuyinu
A septuagenarian has been sent to jail by the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for sexually molesting a minor.
The offender, Olagbade Jeremiah, 79, was on trial before Justice Abiola Soladoye at the court in Ikeja on a count of sexual assault by penetration preferred against him by the state.
Jeremiah, a woodworker, was accused of defiling the 12-year-old victim by the judge who held that the prosecution was able to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt, thus, confirming that the dastardly act contravenes Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
After involving three witnesses for lucidity, the lead prosecution counsel, Olusola 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 sometime in 2021 at his workshop in Mammy Barracks Market in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
Delivering her judgment, Soladoye positioned that the victim testified that she used to hawk sachet water and that the offender would buy every sachet water in her possession whenever she was not able to sell all.
The Judge furthermore stated that in her testimony, the victim claimed to have been given N100 by the convict every time he performed the act on her.
Justice Soladoye also stated that the victim did not inform anybody about the incident because she was afraid her mother would beat her.
The minor said, “He usually gave me money. Before he gives me the money, he removes my pants. Every time it happened, he gave me N100.”
“I could not tell my mother because she would beat me up. My pocket money was N30. So, anytime I went to him, he would give me N100.”
Jeremiah testified solely in his defence but the Judge countered saying, “He initially denied knowing the victim, however, under cross-examination and prosecution, he said he knew the victim.
The judge continued, “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 also claimed not to understand the English language whereas he gave his words in English language before this honourable court.”
“He is a pathological liar and by the happenings in this case, the evidence of the prosecution witnesses is believable and truthful.
“The testimony of the victim was corroborated by the other prosecution and I see them as incredible, compelling and cogent.
He said further, “The mother is blameworthy for sending her daughter to go and hawk sachet water. She became a victim of circumstance by meeting with the defendant, indeed a very dirty old man who took advantage of a 12-year-old and turned her vagina into a playhouse.”
After sentencing him to life imprisonment, she ordered that the name of the convict should be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
