A 14-year-old rape sufferer (identify withheld) has contracted the Human Immunodeficiency Virus after she was defiled by a person, recognized as Richard Saviour.
Based on the Lagos State Home and Sexual Violence Company, the perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Lagos Excessive Court docket, Ikeja, for defiling the sufferer, who’s a niece to his spouse.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Oyindamola Ogala on Tuesday.
“The decide mentioned when the police took the sufferer to the Mirabel Centre, she was examined and located to be HIV optimistic.
Thereafter, she was transferred to Mary’s Residence Orphanage and sorted with the assistance of Optimistic Motion for Therapy Entry, a Non-Governmental Organisation.
“The decide, therefore, convicted the defendant on the cost of defilement by illegal sexual assault and sentenced him to life imprisonment within the correctional centre,” the assertion printed Wednesday on the company’s X deal with, @Lagosdsva, learn.
The company famous that the State Counsel, Ola Azeez, referred to as three witnesses to show the prosecution’s case whereas the convict testified in his defence through the trial.
In her ruling, the decide held that the proof offered by all of the prosecution witnesses was corroborated and thought of as the reality.
Justice Ogala mentioned the sufferer’s proof was corroborated by the Investigating Police Officer and Social Employee from the state Ministry of Youth and Social Welfare.
Based on her, these established the offence of defilement towards the convict.
The decide mentioned, “The testimony earlier than the courtroom depicts the ‘evil’ perpetrated on this younger lady and the way she was abused each mentally and bodily by the defendant and his spouse for years.
“Revealing how she certainly ‘cried out’ for assist and was betrayed by those that have been supposed to assist and assist her.
“It’s crucial to state at this juncture that the actions of the principal of PW2’s college and the social employee (PW3) are commendable as identical finally introduced some succour and reduction to PW2, who sadly has been completely ‘scared’
“Having fastidiously thought of the whole lot of details earlier than the courtroom, it finds that on this occasion, the prosecution has satisfactorily proved the one depend info the defendant stands confronted with.”
Ogala mentioned the mien of the defendant was determined to distance himself from the allegation by denying the offences.
“The defendant in his proof earlier than the courtroom certainly narrated how PW2 (the survivor) had at one occasion, after working from residence to keep away from a beating from his spouse, ran to the station and he was subsequently knowledgeable that PW2 accused him of molesting her.
“The courtroom finds that the totality of the testimony of the defendant who testified in his defence calling no extra witness is in essence a denial of the allegation with out extra.
“He provided no dependable explanations to the cost except for makes an attempt to depict PW2 as a cussed lady and one who stole from himself and his spouse,” she added.
Reacting to the judgment of the courtroom, the Head of the Gender Division, Take It Again Motion, Omolola Pedro, mentioned getting such justice for victims of sexual violence in Nigeria was a mirrored image of arduous work and intentionality.
“The survivor needs to be supplied with ample assist, care, and remedy presently when she wants it probably the most. When perpetrators know that the palms of the legislation can make amends for them, they’d realise that they’re not untouchable.
“Nigeria has sufficient legal guidelines, acts, and insurance policies to guard the rights of ladies and ladies. What we lack is implementation and this can be a results of the dearth of intentionality on the a part of those that are speculated to be able to assist victims and survivors,” she instructed PUNCH Metro in an interview on Wednesday.
PUNCH Metro experiences that the Particular Offences and Home Violence Court docket, Ikeja, had on Tuesday, additionally convicted a person, Ndedigwe Paul, to double life imprisonment for sexual assault of minors, following a complete trial that sought justice for the victims.
The convict was handed down the sentence by Justice Abiola Soladoye on January 30, 2024, who, after a cautious consideration of the proof offered, discovered the defendant responsible on two out of the three-count expenses of defilement and illegal sexual activity with a minor contravening Part 137 of the Legal Legal guidelines of Lagos State 2015.