Justice Rahmon Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, yesterday, sentenced a man, Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim, to life imprisonment for abusing his girlfriend sexually.
Ibrahim was arraigned on December 1, 2021, for having sexual intercourse with his girlfriend without her consent.
He committed the offence on June 6, 2021, at his residence at Lateef Dosunmu Street at about 2:00p.m.
His offence contravened provision of section 260 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Volume 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The convict pleaded not guilty, but the judge found him guilty as charged by Lagos State government.
During the trial, four witnesses, including the victim and her supervisor testified before the court.
The prosecution also tendered various documents, which were admitted as exhibits.
In her testimony, the victim narrated how the defendant invited her to his house on a Sunday afternoon and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.
According to her, the defendant, during the visit, forcefully removed her trousers, pinned her neck to his bed and sexually abused her.
She said: “When I got to his house, we entered inside, a room and a parlour apartment. So, I sat in the parlour, and he told me that he was happy that I came to his house. He asked me what I wanted to eat and I told him I had eaten at home and that I was okay.
“I informed the defendant that I did not want to stay long. He said that he likes my hair and also me. He asked me where I came from, and my age. He then asked me about my genotype. I responded that I don’t know.
“He said at this age I am supposed to know my genotype. Thereafter he hugged me and was romancing me. So, I told him I want to go and he said that I could not go, that I have not stayed long. After that, he went and locked the door.
“He then carried me from the parlour to the room, and unto the bed. He now forced my trouser open, and he slept with me and he took several photographs of me while naked. He forcefully had sex with me, and I was shouting and struggling.”
The survivor further told the court that she used her leg to hit a glass and the glass got broken. “He then left me, and my wristwatch was broken. When he stood up, he started abusing me that I will pay for everything I damaged in his house before I leave his room,” she said.
She said that the defendant brought out cutlass to threaten her when she was crying and shouting.
“I was now begging him that he should not use the cutlass on me. So, he gave me my clothes to wear, and he said he would call his friend to come before his landlord called him on the phone and said he would report what happened in his room to the police.
“He went out of the room to meet the landlord. The landlord said that he was hearing noise coming out of his room, and the defendant said nothing happened. Then his friend came to his house. He now explained to his friend everything that happened. The friend now begged me that I should not be angry,” she said.
In his testimony, the defendant told the court that he only had romance and flirted with her without having sexual intercourse with her.
However, Justice Oshodi in his judgment held that the prosecution has proved the necessary ingredients to establish the offence of sexual assault. He held that the prosecution was able to
demonstrate the application of force, intimidation and threat when the defendant had sexual intercourse with the victim.
The judge further held that the defendant’s landlord’s testimony was sufficient corroborate the medical report.
Justice Raman said he has critically reviewed all the materials, consisting of the written submissions of counsel already identified, the entire record of proceedings.
The court also said he had considered the remarks made by the defendant that he loved the victim and that the court should temper justice with mercy.
“I have listened to your counsel’s submission that I should have mercy on you. I have also considered the prosecution’s request that I must sentence you by section 260 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (supra).
“You must not hurt people that you love. The evidence, in this case, demonstrates that you did not just abuse the victim sexually, but you did it in a ferocious and animalistic way. You hit her on the face, which made it swollen. She had bloody eyes and swollen lips. You pinned
her neck to your bed and assaulted her sexually.
“A man like you, who has committed sexual violence against a woman, should be ashamed and must be punished.
“I must add that a woman or a girl who is a victim of sexual violence has committed no crime; she need not be ashamed. In this case, the victim was not ashamed. She persisted in her quest for justice.
“She gave damning evidence against you, which led to your conviction. Our laws in Lagos State have zero tolerance for sexual crimes. The offence of rape, for which you have been convicted, carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, which sends a signal that it is unacceptable!
“In your case, I do consider the seriousness of the offence to justify a life sentence, and that is the sentence I must, therefore, impose upon you.
“Accordingly, I sentence you, Mr. Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim to life imprisonment,” the court held.
The court further ordered that his name be registered as a sex offender in Lagos State Sexual Offenders register.
