An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Monday sentenced a dismissed policeman, Mohammed Alidu, to life imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old school girl in a police barracks.
Justice Abiola Soladoye, in her judgment, held that Alidu was a disgrace to the police because he failed to uphold law and order and went about frolicking with an underage girl.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Soladoye held that the prosecution had convincingly proved the charge of defilement against the convict beyond any reasonable doubt.
She said the survivors’ evidence was fully corroborated by the medical evidence.
“The evidence of the survivor is the most credible evidence in identifying the perpetrator.
“The vivid and oral testimony of the survivor satisfies the court that prosecution has proved every inch of the ingredients.
“He is a disgrace to the entire police because he failed to uphold law and order as he went on a frolic of his own by engaging in a bizarre and irresponsible behaviour turning the barracks into a sex den.
“It is most chilling. The defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without the option of a fine.
“He should have his name entered in the Sex Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government,” the judge added.
NAN reported that four witnesses testified against Alidu in the trial.
According to the prosecution team, Mr Olusola Soneye, Mrs Olufunke Adegoke and Ms Abimbola Abolade, Alidu committed the offence on June 29, 2018 on Makinde Police Barracks Road, Mafoluku, Oshodi.
The prosecution said Alidu grabbed the survivor into a wooden house on her way to school and defiled her.
They submitted that the defendant was apprehended after the survivor reported the case at a police station.
The prosecutors said the defendant confessed to defiling the survivor, blaming it on the devil, but later denied it as an afterthought.
The police said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
