Justice Rahmon Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja has sentenced a man, Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim to life imprisonment for raping his girlfriend.
The judge found him guilty following a charge filled against him for having sexual intercourse with his girlfriend without her consent.
He committed the offence on June 6,2012 at his resident at Lateef Dosumu street on at about 2pm.
Wasiu was arraigned on December 1, 2021 and he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The government had said his offence contravene provision of section 260 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, volume 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
During trial , the prosecution called four witnesses among which the survivor and her survivor supervisor testified. The prosecution tendered various document which court admitted as exhibits.
The survivor in her testimony narrated to the court how he knew the defendant, invited her to his house and forcefully
removed her trousers and pinned her neck to his bed and then raped her when she went to visit him on his house on Sunday afternoon.
She recounted that she visited the defendant’s house, a room and parlour. “So, I sat in the parlour, and he told me that he was happy that I came to his house. He asked me what I want to eat and I told him I
have eaten from home that I am okay.
She continued that, she informed the defendant that she did not want to stay long and he said okay. ” He said that he likes my hair, and he also likes me, and he asked me where I came from, and he asked of my age. He then asked me [about] my genotype,
[and] I said I don’t know.
“He said at this age I am supposed to know my genotype. After then he hugged me and was touching me. So, I told him I want to go and he said that I cannot go, that I have not stayed long. After that, he went and locked the door.
“Then he carried me from the parlour to the room, and he carried me to the bed. He now forced my trouser open, and he slept on me and was now snapping my nude picture. He
forcefully had sex with me, and I was shouting and struggling.”
The survivor further told court that she used her leg to hit a glass and the glass got broken.”He then left me, and my wristwatch was broken. When he stood up, he started abusing me and that I will pay for everything I damaged in his house before I leave his room.”
She said that defendant brought out cutlass to threaten her when she was crying and shouting.
“I was now begging him that he
should not use the cutlass on me. So, he gave me my clothes to wear, and he said he will call his friend to come before his landlord called him on phone that he will report what happened in his room to police.
“He went out of the room to meet the landlord. The landlord said that he was hearing noise coming out of his room, and the defendant said nothing happened. Then his friend came to his house. He then
explained to his friend everything that happened and the friend begged me that I should not be angry.”
However after close of prosecution case, the defendant opened his defence and told court that he only romance, flirted with her but did not have sexual intercourse with her.
However, Justice Oshodi in his judgment held that, the prosecution has proved the necessary ingredients to establish the offence of rape. He held that the prosecution was able to demonstrate the application of force, intimidation and threat when the defendant had sexual intercourse with the survivor.
The judge further held that defendant’s landlord’s testimony was sufficient and corroborated as well as the the medical report.
Justice Rahmon said he have critically reviewed all the materials, consisting of the written submissions of counsel already identified, the entire record of proceedings.
The court also said he have considered the remarks made by the defendant that he love the victim and that the court should tamper justice with mercy. ” I listened to your counsel’s submission that I should have mercy on you. I have also considered the prosecution’s request that I must sentence
you by section 260 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (supra).
” You must not hurt people that you love. The evidence, in this case, demonstrates that you did not just rape the victim, but you did it in a ferocious and animalistic way. You hit her on the face which made it swollen. She had bloody eyes and swollen lips. You pinned
her neck to your bed and raped her. A man like you, who has committed sexual violence against a woman, should be ashamed and must be punished.
” I must add that a woman or a girl who is a victim of sexual violence has committed no crime; she need not be ashamed. In this case, the victim was not ashamed. She persisted in their quest for justice.
“She gave damning evidence against you, which led to your conviction. Our laws in Lagos State have zero tolerance for sexual crimes. The charge of rape, for which you have been convicted, carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, which sends a signal that it is unacceptable!
” In your case, I do consider the seriousness of the offence to justify a life sentence, and that is the sentence I must, therefore, impose upon you. Accordingly, I sentence you, Mr Eniola Wasiu Ibrahim to life imprisonment.”
The court further ordered that his name be registered as a sex offender on Lagos State Sexual Offenders register.
