By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Thursday, convicted and sentenced 63-year-old cleric to life imprisonment for raping a church member’s daughter.
His name will be entered into the Sexual Offenders Register maintained by Lagos State, in line with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021.
In delivering judgment, Justice Oshodi held that the defendant abused his position of authority and trust to exploit the victim, describing the act as a “reprehensible betrayal.”
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, Director of Public Prosecutions, presented five witnesses, including the victim, her mother, and a medical doctor, alongside medical and documentary evidence.
Although the defendant claimed the relationship was consensual, the court rejected this, holding that rape was proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The defendant was convicted on three counts of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment, with sentences to run concurrently.
“The law must protect the vulnerable, and this court will not hesitate to punish abuse of trust in the strongest terms,” Justice Oshodi added.
