Man sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault of girlfriend

Justice Rahmon Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, on Tuesday, sentenced one Eniola Ibrahim to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his girlfriend.

Ibrahim was arraigned by the state government for sexual assault on December 1, 2021.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecution in its presentation said Ibrahim committed the offence on June 6, 2012, at his residence in Lateef Dosumu Street, Lagos, and called four witnesses to prove its case against the convict.

The offence, according to the prosecution, contravened the provisions of section 260 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The survivor in her testimony had told the court that the defendant invited her to his house, pinned her neck to his bed and assaulted her.

She said: “When I got to his (convict) house and we entered his apartment. 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 the convict forcefully opened her trouser zip, took her nude picture and assaulted her.

In his ruling, Justice Oshsodi found Ibrahim guilty of having sexual intercourse with his girlfriend without her consent.

He held that the prosecution had proved the necessary ingredients to establish the offence of rape against the defendant.

The judge said: “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 the submission of your counsel that I should have mercy on you and 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.”

He 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,” Justice Rahmon added.

He also ordered that the convict’s name be registered as a sex offender on Lagos State Sexual Offenders’ register.

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