By Yusuf Olukokun

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced one Sunday Uche to life imprisonment on Monday, for defiling a four year old girl.

Uche was a groundnuts seller who pleaded not guilty after being bundled to court.

According to Uche, the perpetrator of the act, he said: “I was at home when one small boy brought a four-year-old girl to my house to beg for groundnuts, so I decided to have sexual intercourse with her. After everything, I gave her some groundnuts. The small baby cried. I knew what I was doing was wrong but I was so eager, but I did not release inside the vagina. After releasing sperm, I became weak, surprisingly the mother of the girl came to my house to look for me.”

Uche was remanded on February 1, 2017, after pleading not guilty to the defilement case filed against him by the state.

I.D Solarin, the head of the prosecuting counsel, said this offence is against the Section 137 of Lagos state Criminal Act.

Justice Oshodi Rahman who lorded over the case, stated that the prosecuting counsel was able to prove Uche’s offence which was a heinous crime, that should be within the arms of the law.

In the judgement delivered by Justice Oshodi Rahman, he said, “Based on the evidence presented, a statement of the IPO of the Sabo Police Command, Lagos State, a statement from the victim’s mother, the police referral for medical examination, a detailed medical report from Mirabel Centre dated February 2, 2017, and the defendant’s statements, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos.

“This is a grave offence that carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. The parts of this case are alarming: you took advantage of a four-year-old girl who came to you simply asking for groundnut. You exploited her vulnerability and trust, in the most heinous way imaginable. The physical and psychological harm you have inflicted on this young victim is immeasurable and likely to have a long-lasting effect.”

He therefore convicted Uche on one count charge of defilement, sentencing him to life imprisonment and also instructed that his name should be added to the list of sexual offenders in the state.