A Lagos High Court has sentenced a man identified as Samuel Ademola Oladimeji to three concurrent life imprisonment sentences for the offense of sexual assault by penetration of his three children.
According to a statement by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (Lagos DSVA), Oladimeji’s name will be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register as maintained by the state.
The Judge, Hon. Justice Sholadoye of the Special Offences Court stated that the prosecution had 5 witnesses in person of the 3 girls who had been sexually abused, their mother and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) from Ilupeju Police Station, Family Support Unit.
The matter was reported to Lagos DSVA after the mother noted that the three children in question complained about pain in their private parts.
They were then referred to Mirabel Centre for medical evaluation after which the medical report confirmed that all girls had been sexually assaulted.
The judge said that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were unshaken but explained that the defendant’s testimony did not add up because he was simply trying to distance himself from the allegations.
The court held that the children were indeed sexually assaulted by penetration and the prosecution had successfully discharged the onus of proving beyond reasonable doubt the commission of the offence.
He was then sentenced to 3 concurrent life imprisonment sentences. Justice Sholadoye also ordered that the name of the convict be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
“We use this medium to commend the family of the survivors for staying the cause even as we reiterate State’s Zero Tolerance Stance and insists that there is help for survivors,” Lagos DSVA said.
“Indeed, the wheel of justice is turning and perpetrators of these heinous crimes would be held accountable for their actions.”
Lagos DSVA urged the people of the state to help the agency in continuously breaking the culture of silence.
It also called on residents of Lagos state to report any case of Domestic or Sexual Violence by calling its Toll Free Line – 08000 333 333.
