John Chikezie 
Justice Abiola Soladoye of an Ikeja Special offences and Domestic Violence Court, Lagos yesterday sentenced a 43-yearold auto-mechanic, Friday Imoh, to life imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old girl (name withheld). Justice Soladoye found Imoh guilty of a two-count charge of child defilement and threatening violence which contravened Sections 137 and 56 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.
The judge, in her ruling, said that the prosecution has established beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the defendant. According to her, “The conduct of this defendant is most cruel, callous, despicable and condemnable in all ramifications. “Having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 10-yearold clearly shows that the defendant is morally corrupt and indeed purely evil. “He should be made to pay for his conduct with the hope that this sanction will serve as a deterrent to other prospective paedophiles to keep off from sexually molesting children in this state of excellence.
“The survivor in this case has been physically abused and psychologically traumatised. “Consequently, the defendant having been found guilty as charged is sentenced to life imprisonment in respect to count one (defilement). “In respect to count two (threatening violence) he is also sentenced to the maximum under the law which is a year imprisonment. Both sentences are to run concurrently.” The judge, however, did not entertain the allocutus (plea for mercy) of the defence counsel, Mrs Jenifer Ekweokporo. Meanwhile, the lead State Counsel, Mr Olusola Soneye, had earlier told the court that the defendant committed the offence on January 31, 2019 at Ajegunle, Lagos.
