Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Gabriel Awaye to life imprisonment.
Awaye, a bricklayer was sentenced on Wednesday for defiling a 13-year-old girl in his room.
Background
The state prosecutor, Abimbola Abolade revealed that Awaye committed the crimes on June 2, 2021, at Agbawaye Street, Command, Agbado Oke-Odo, Lagos State.
During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses, while the convict, Awaye, was the sole witness in his defense.
The prosecution witness testified before the court that she was at her grandmother’s place when her friend, Rofiat, told her that her sister sent for her.
“The witness said when she got to the place, she did not meet her sister but saw the convict who pushed her onto the mat and sodomised her.”
The evidence of the convict is laced with lies as he tried to detach himself from the offence by saying the mother of the survivor tried to have a sexual relationship with him.
The court found that the witnesses called by the prosecution were truthful in their testimonies and their pieces of evidence were corroborated Abolade asserted.
Abolade noted that the offenses violated Sections 127 and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015
Upon arraignment, Awaye however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Court’s decision
Justice Soladoye in her ruling, held that the survivor had provided a clear and straightforward account when presenting her evidence in court.
The judge said that the prosecution had successfully established the elements of both defilement and sexual assault in the case against the defendant.
Justice Soladoye stated that due to Awaye’s bold and reckless sexual misconduct, he was unsuitable to remain within the civilized community and thus deserved a life imprisonment sentence.
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Furthermore, the judge added that the survivor’s testimony was consistent with the accounts provided by other prosecution witnesses, strengthening the case against the defendant.
Justice Soladoye held that after a thorough examination of the evidence presented in court, the court found Awaye guilty of both counts of defilement and sexual assault.
“Awaye is hereby found guilty and is sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the two-count charges and he should have his name registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register,” the judge held.
