Rasheed Wasiu was sentenced to life in prison by the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja for having sexual intercourse with his neighbour’s eleven-year-old daughter (name withheld).
Following the defendant’s admission to the Lagos State Government of defiling him, Justice Rahman Oshodi handed down the sentence.
The defendant lied to the court during his testimony, according to Justice Oshodi’s ruling, which stated that defilement is a serious felony that carries a mandatory life term.
According to Justice Oshodi, “Notwithstanding the overwhelming evidence against you, you continued to deny your offence. At sentencing, you showed no remorse.
“The evidence shows that you had sexual intercourse with an eleven-year-old girl. She was your neighbour’s daughter. She was, to your knowledge, a child. You grabbed her in the toilet, pushed her to the wall, and had sexual intercourse with her in a beastly manner. “This is unacceptable”.
“You must be ashamed and punished according to the mandatory sentence. Therefore, the sentence I pass upon you is one of life imprisonment. You shall be registered as a sex offender in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register,” the judge held.
The state government accused the convicted party of defiling the survivor on or around March 9, 2018, at approximately 8:00 pm in the Apapa region of Lagos, according to the charge dated December 7, 2018.
The judge was also informed by the prosecution that the offence violated Section 137 of the Lagos State 2015 Criminal Law.
The defendant entered a not guilty plea to the accusation on December 10, 2021, during his arraignment before Justice Oshodi.
Yusuf Oyebanji, the defendant’s attorney, requested the court to discharge and acquit the defendant throughout the trial on the grounds that the prosecution was unable to prove his client’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and that the alibi defence deflates the defilement claim.
However, the state government insisted—through attorney Babajide Boye—that it present direct eyewitness testimony along with circumstantial evidence to support the defendant’s defilement conviction.
Citing Section 135 (1) of the Evidence Act of 2011, Justice Oshodi stated that the burden of proof in criminal law is on the prosecution to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Oshodi said: “Each element of this crime must be established beyond a reasonable doubt. Any doubt must be resolved in favour of the defendant.
“The charge of defilement occurs when a person has sexual intercourse with a child. A child cannot consent to sexual activities.
“In law, where a witness testifies on a material fact in controversy, and the defence does not cross-examine the witness on this point, I can consider the silence as acceptance that the defendant does not dispute the fact.”