Court frees four men charged with defiling children in Lagos

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday, discharged and acquitted four men charged with defiling two children.

The men are – Ojo Taye, John Mahason, Peter Arabo and Adenekan Adedeji.

The defendants had been in detention for for eight years following their arrest by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on November 9, 2015.

They had pleaded not guilty on arraignment.

The judge discharged and acquitted them of a three-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration.

Oshodi held that the prosecution failed to prove the ingredients of the charge against the defendants.

READ ALSO; Police dismisses constable for alleged defilement of detained teenager in Benue

He said the prosecution failed to bring the alleged survivors, aged five years and three years to testify in the case.

The judge said: “The absence of the survivors in court to give their testimony has proven insufficient evidence against the defendants.

“It is better for nine guilty people to be set free than to convict one innocent person.

“I find the defendants not guilty of the charge and hereby acquit and discharge them.”

The defendants had been in detention for for eight years following their arrest by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on November 9, 2015.

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