Fawaz Adebisi
A Sexual Offence and Domestic Violence Court, in Ikeja has sentenced a man, Eniola Ibrahim, to life imprisonment for raping his girlfriend.
The court said it was established that Ibrahim raped his girlfriend in his residence at Lateef Dosumu street of the state, in June 2021.
He was however arraigned on Dec. 1, 2021, when he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The survivor, while explaining, told the court that the accused pinned her neck to his bed and raped her when he asked her to come to his house on a Sunday afternoon.
She said: “When I got to his house, we entered his house. The defendant’s house is 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 wanted to eat and I told him I have had something to eat.
“I told him I did not want to stay long and then he locked the door and carried me to the room,” she said.
According to her, the accused forcefully opened her trouser zip and took her nude pictures before raping her.
The court, therefore, stated that the offence contradicts the provisions of section 260 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The judge who presides over the court, Justice Rahmon Oshsodi, said Ibrahim is found guilty, and held that the prosecutor had proved the necessary ingredients to establish the offence of rape.
According to him, the prosecutor was able to demonstrate the application of force, intimidation and threat when the defendant had sexual intercourse with the survivor.
He also said that the defendant’s landlord’s testimony sufficiently corroborated, as same as the weight of the medical report.
“We have critically reviewed all the materials, consisting of the written submissions of counsel already identified and the entire record of proceedings.
“The court has also taken into cognizance remarks made by the defendant that he loves the victim.
“ I have listened to your counsel’s submission that I should have mercy on you and I have also considered the prosecutor’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,” he said.
The judge held that a woman or a girl who was a victim of sexual violence had committed no crime as she needed not be ashamed.
” In this case, the victim was not ashamed as she persisted in her quest for justice.
“Our laws in Lagos State have zero tolerance for sexual crimes and 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,” Rahmon said.
The court further ordered that the convict’s name be registered as a sex offender on Lagos State Sexual Offenders register.
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