Man sentenced to life imprisonment for raping 9-year-old girl

Godwin Ogboniya, an apprentice, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for sexually assaulting his employer's 9-year-old daughter.

According to Justice Abiola Soladoye, the elements of the one-count accusation of sexual assault by penetration against Ogboniya were established by the prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt.

She said that the defendant, who had been living with the survivor’s father for three years, was an “unkind and unworthy employee who embarked on sexual frolicking with the nine-year-old girl”.

She claims the survivor recognised the defendant as the three-year resident apprentice of her father who lived with them.

The defendant said that the survivor's mother tried to seduce him, but the court noted that this was self-serving, and his denial was an unconvincing afterthought.

She said: “The nine-year-old girl recognized the defendant in the dock as the man who sexually assaulted her on several occasions when her parents were not home.

“The survivor said and I quote ‘he helps my daddy when nobody is around, carries me to the toilet and ask me to pee, takes me back to the parlour, puts his finger in my bumbum and also put his penis in my vagina’.

“Upon careful review of the evidence adduced before this court both oral and documentary, the survivor’s testimony was lucidly corroborated with other prosecution witnesses which were very compelling.

“The investigative police officer, through whom the medical report was tendered, was very detailed, upright and diligent in her testimony.”

Soladoye went on to say that she thought the exhibits submitted and the testimony of all the prosecution witnesses spoke for themselves and themselves alone.

She continued by saying that in cases of sexual assault, proof of penetration—regardless of how slight—was sufficient to establish the charge.

“This defendant, having been found guilty as charged, penetrating the vagina of the young victim, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

“He should have his name registered in the sexual offences register, as maintained by Lagos State,” she said.

Source