Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced two men, Chukwuka Odinaka and Ikechukwu Eze, to 10 years imprisonment each for s3xual assault of a minor.
The judge convicted them for guilty of a two-count charge bordering on indecent treatment and sexual assault of a 16- year old boy that they used their penis to penetrated his anus.
The state government had filed the suit against them, alleged that sometime in the year 2020 that both defendants used their p3nis to penetrate the anus of the 16-year old boy.
The defendants were initially arraigned on a one charge of s3xual assault by penetration on November 23,2022, and they pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution witness, Jonathan Inalegwu Ounche (PW1), the brother and guardian of the victim, provided crucial testimony and detailed his involvement in the arrest of the two defendants he had earlier identified.
He also told the court that after the report of the alleged offence, the victim was referred to the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) for medical examination.
Also, the second witness, Okoi Oluchi (PW2), a nurse at WARIF, tendered the medical report prepared by Dr Makanjuola (exhibits A to A7).
Oluchi told court that the medical evaluation documented extensive evidence consistent with forcible anal penetration, including massive abrasions and bruises on the alleged victim’s anus.
However, the defendants did not present any evidence to refute the allegation, and they approached the prosecution through their counsel, Tolulope Banjo, for a plea bargain.
They entered a plea and sentence agreement, which necessitated an amendment of the charge to indecent treatment of a child and s3xual assault.
When the amended charge was read to Chukwuka and Ikechukwu, they pleaded guilty.
Justice Oshodi therefore convicted and sentenced the defendants to 10 years imprisonment each, having found them guilty.
The judge held that, “Having satisfied myself that the defendant’s guilty plea was voluntary, informed, and unequivocal, I hereby find both defendants, Chukwuka Odinaka and Ikechukwu Eze, guilty and convict them on both counts as charged in the amended Information.”
On count one, indecent treatment of a child contrary to section 135 of the Criminal Law, they were sentenced to seven years imprisonment. And on count two, which deals with s3xual assault contrary to section 263 of the Criminal Law, they were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
The court ordered that both sentences shall run consecutively, and their names should be registered as s3x offenders.
