JUDICIARY
26-year-old Jailed for Life for Defiling Neighbour’s Daughter
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Thursday sentenced a 26-year-old electrician, Sunday George, to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s 12-year-old daughter.
Report says that Justice Abiola Soladoye held that prosecution sufficiently proved the charge of defilement against the convict.
Soladoye referred to the convict as an irresponsible adult and a pathological liar whose testimony was an afterthought and lacked credibility.
She said that the court was satisfied with the testimony of the victim/survivor because it was unambiguous.
According to the judge, the testimony of the survivor was chilling, cogent, convincing and truthful.
“The defendant defiled her by having sex with her in the bathroom and told her not to tell anyone.
“He had sex with her on several occasions in the bathroom and anytime she goes to watch movie on the defendant’s phone in his room.
“Identifications in criminal cases are very germane.
“The survivor in this case identified the man in the dock as their neighbour who defiled her severally in the bathroom and his room,’’ she held.
The judge said that the child’s testimony was corroborated by the evidence of Insp Medinat Ganiyu, who investigated the case and testified that the survivor and her father came to a police station to lodge a complaint.
“Upon arrest, the defendant wrote a statement.
“The defendant denied rubbing the survivor’s breast and watching movies with her on his phone in his room; this is an attempt to lie his way out but he failed.
“The defendant is an irresponsible adult and a shameless pedophile, whose denial of having any sexual relations with the survivor is an afterthought.
“Upon careful review of the evidence before this court, the defendant is hereby found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment,” she held.
She added that the convict’s name should be written in the Sexual Offenders Register of the Lagos State Government.
The judge appealed to relevant authorities not to relent in sensitising parents in market places, bus and train terminals, as well as at parent-teacher association meetings on proper monitoring of their wards so as to avoid sexual predators tampering with them.
NAN reports that prosecution team, Mr Olusola Soneye and Mrs Olufunke Adegoke, presented two witnesses during the trial while the convict testified as a sole defence witness.
Defilement contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and is punishable with up to life imprisonment. (NAN)
JUDICIARY
Court Strikes Ex-Kogi Governor’s Bail Application
Justice Maryann Anenih o a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court on Tuesday struck out the bail application filed by former governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi.Anenih struck out the application on the grounds that it was filed when the former governor was yet to be taken into custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The application was filed on Nov. 22, while the former governor was taken into custody of the anti-graft agency on Nov. 26 and arraigned on Nov. 27.(NAN)Details later….
JUDICIARY
5 Men Face N25m Worth of Milo Products Theft Charge
Five men, on Monday appeared before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun, for allegedly stealing a truck load of Milo products worth N25 million.The defendants, Temidire Ramon, 35, Aminu Yusuf, 26; Olusola Opadare, 35; Oludayo Adeleye, 38, and Amodu Jimoh, 51, are standing tial on a two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
The prosecutor, Insp E. O.Adaraloye, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 13, 2020, at Agbara in Ogun.Adaraloye, said that the defendants conspired and stole a truck load of Milo products valued at N25 million, belonging to Nestle Company.He said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.The Magistrate, Mr O.A Onagoruwa, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.He ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.Onagoruwa also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to Ogun State Government.He adjourned the case until Dec.12 for hearing. (NAN)JUDICIARY
Court Grants Mother Custody of 2 Children
A Grade 1 Area Court, Kubwa has granted Maryam Muhammad custody of two children from her former husband, Bashir.
The judge, Musa Sabo ordered Bashir to pay Muhammad N175,000 for a self contained apartment in arrears following the plaintiff’s claim of already paid rent.
Sabo added that Bashir should secure a self contained apartment or pay the plaintiff N250, 000 annually for accommodation.
He said that the children would spend first and third term holidays with their father and second term holidays with their mother.
The judge said the father could pick his children up every weekend for outings within 10a.m to 6.pm from the mother and notify her before hand.
He also ordered him to pay outstanding school fees if any and pay the plaintiff arrears for the fees she claimed to pay after verifying same as she failed to prove it.
Sabo ordered Bashir to pay N40,000 from October 2023 To February 2024 and subsequently pay N45,000 monthly for the children’s upkeep..
Regarding the children’s medication, he ordered Bashir to make an arrangement based on his financial capability.
Earlier, the plaintiff approached the court for custody of her children, maintenance, Islamiyya school fees, enrollment of one of the children in a special needs school and transportation.
She also sought for Bashir to refund N770, 000 which she paid for her house rent with the children and pay for the medicals of the children.
Bashir however said his ex-wife paid the rent without his consent adding that he is a civil servant and not financially capable.
“I do not earn up to N2 million annually and I am currently paying N600,000 rent annually. My children are already under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),” he said.(NAN)