11th February, 2025
By Adenike Ayodele
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sentenced a 47-year-old shopkeeper, Seydou Garuba, to life imprisonment on Tuesday for defiling his neighbour’s eight-year-old daughter.
Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against Garuba.
He stated that the survivor’s evidence corroborated her mother’s evidence.
Oshodi said, “Seydou Garuba, you have been found guilty of defiling an eight-year-old girl. This is one of the most serious offences in the criminal law, and life imprisonment is mandatory for it. You abused your position as a trusted neighbourhood shopkeeper and sexually assaulted the victim. I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment, and your name shall be registered in the sex offenders’ register.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the State Counsel, Ms Olufunmilayo Aluko, called three witnesses to testify in the case: the survivor, her cousin, and an investigative police officer.
In defence, the convict called three witnesses: himself, his wife, and a neighbour.
The prosecution submitted that the convict owned a provision store at the front of his compound, adding that the survivor and her family were regular customers.
The survivor told the court that she had gone to purchase a half-bag of sachet water when the convict lured her in and had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
The offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
