Crimes

Court sentences man to life imprisonment for sexually abusing minor

A High Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has sentenced a man, Lanso Ogundele, to life imprisonment for sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.

Ogundele was charged with seawall abuse and exploiting a child.

Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Patricia Oduniyi, who convicted Ogundele on two-count charge, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty as charged.

She held that the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable and therefore sentenced Ogundele to life imprisonment with hard labour.

During the trial, the state prosecution counsel, T.O Adeyemi, told the court that the convict committed the offence sometime in Sept. 2018 at Olugbo area in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The counsel said the convict, who is a neighbour to the victim’s parents, sent the girl on an errand while her parents were not away.

“When the victim came back to deliver the message, the convict lured her into his room and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her,” he said.

Adeyemi said the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment, adding that the medical report conducted revealed that the victim’s was sexually abused.

She said the offence contravenes the sections 32 and 33 of the Child Rights Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

The Star