Justice Rahman Oshodi of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday sentenced an arabic teacher, Oladosu Sakiru to 21 imprisonment for attempting to sexually assault his pupil, a 13year-old girl.
The judge sentenced Sakiru after he pleaded guilty to the amended two-count charge of attempted sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
Oshodi, in his judgment, berated the convict for breaching the trust the parents of the survivor had in him for enrolling their children in the islamic school.
He said the evidence before court deduced a pattern of predatory behavior as the convict subjected the survivor into inappropriate touching and forced himself on her.
According to him, when the convict is confronted with his action, he seeks refuge in the often repeated phrase “it was the work of the devil”.
Oshodi further said that religious leaders, teachers such as the convict held a sacred place in the society and when such individuals broke the trust placed in them by preying upon children, the court must respond with appropriate severity to reflect society’s condemnation and to deter others from committing similar acts.
“As an imam and an arabic school teacher, you occupy a position of significant trust, that trust extended not only to the 13-year-old child, the one you victimised but also to her parents and the entire community who look to you for spiritual and moral guidance.
“You betrayed this trust in the most deplorable manner,” he said.
The court thereafter sentenced Sakiru to 14 year imprisonment on count one and seven years jail term on count two.
Oshodi held that the sentencing should run consecutively and the convict’s name be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
Earlier, Defence Counsel, Mr Nelson Onyejaka, in his allocutus, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy
Onjejaka had said that the convict was a first timer and he has two wives to take care.
He had prayed the court for leniency on the sentencing.
The State Counsel, Ms Bukola Okeowo, however, prayed the court to sentence the convict accordingly.
Okeowo had told the court that the convict committed the offence between February and March, 2022 on Odusanmi Street, Mushin, Lagos.
The convict had pleaded not guilty when he was initially arraigned on March 17, 2023.
The prosecution had called two witnesses (survivor and her father) through whom compelling evidence were detailed against convict.
The prosecution, however, approached the court on September 6, 2024 that the convict had opted for plea bargain which necessitated the amended charge.
According to the prosecution, the offences violate Sections 135 and 262 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
