A Lagos State Special Offences court on Thursday presided over by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja yesterday sentenced a man, Moses Joseph to 37 years imprisonment for fingering a 13 year old girl, and forcing her to suck his penis.
While delivering judgement yesterday, the judge held that the state proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant.
The judge held that from the substantial evidences presented before the court, the defendant is guilty of the crime.
The Lagos State government had arraigned Joseph on two-count charge bordering on the act of indecent treatment of a 13-year-old girl.
The prosecution had alleged that the defendant on at his resident No 25, Kadiri Street, Alausa, Ikeja September 17, 2021, about 11:00 p.m, indecently treated the minor, by putting his finger in her vagina and make her suck his penis. The offence was contrary to sections 135, 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was arraigned and the prosecution commenced trial.
However, while delivering judgment, the judge held that substantial evidences provided by the prosecution are overwhelming, he therefore find the defendant guilty of the two counts.
In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Mr. Henry Obidinna pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy. He said defendant is a first time offender, who had been remorseful since his arrest sometimes in September 2021 and has been cooperative.
Obidinna told court that convict was the breadwinner of his family and his younger brother died from shock when he heard of the defendants arrest. He added that the event had been kept away from his aged mother.
The court thereafter asked the defendant if he have anything to tell the court. He responded by pleading for mercy.
The judge therefore sentenced him to 37 years imprisonment. She said, “I have listened to the allocutus of the defence, on the first count, I sentence you to seven years imprisonment. On the the second count, I sentence you to 30 years imprisonment which will run concurrently.”
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