Crimes

Man bags life imprisonment for defiling four-year-old pupil in Lagos

The Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has sentenced a driver, Abiodun Matthew, to life imprisonment for raping a four-year-old pupil of the University of Lagos Women Society Nursery and Primary School, Akoka, Lagos.

Matthew was sentenced by Justice Abiola Soladoye on Thursday.

The 39-year-old driver, who was alleged to have committed the offence on the school premises on March 23, 2019, was charged by the police for sexual assault by penetration.

He then pleaded guilty to the charge proffered against him by the police.

However, Justice Soladoye, while delivering judgement on Thursday, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The presiding judge added that Matthew was found guilty as charged under Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.

Soladoye said: “The defendant’s statement that he was elsewhere when the act occurred was false as he was busy fiddling with the private parts of the victim.

“The defendant having been found guilty as charged under Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.

“His name is to be entered into the Sexual Offenders Register maintained by the Lagos State Government.”

It was gathered that Matthew used to pick two pupils of the University of Lagos Women Society Nursery and Primary School after closing hours on the instruction of their parents.

The driver, who later became close to a teacher at the school, identified as Madumere, allegedly raped the minor on the school premises on March 23, 2019.

He was said to have molested the four-year-old girl after Madumere sometimes left the pupils in his care.

TheStar