Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced one Laminu Ahmed, 36, to life imprisonment for defiling a seven-year-old girl.
The conviction was secured by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
The trial judge in her judgment held that the prosecutor from the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence unit of the Federal Ministry of Justice headed by Mrs Yewande Awopetu successfully proved the case.
The convict had on January 3, 2023, asked the victim (name withheld) to bring him a plate of food from the food her mother was selling at the Zuba Fruit Market, Abuja, and lured her to follow him with the food to a public bathroom in the market.
He locked the door as soon as she entered and proceeded to sexually abuse the young girl. He clamped his hands over her mouth when she attempted to scream and threatened to kill her if she ever told anyone.
Upon returning home, the girl narrated the ordeal to her mother, who along with the father, immediately reported the matter to the local vigilante who arrested the defendant and handed him over to police operatives.
The defendant confessed to the crime at the Police Station in Zuba and at the FCT Command where the matter was later transferred.
The defendant was charged to court by Prosecution Counsel from the SGBV Response Unit on eight counts for the offences of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and sexual abuse under the Child Rights Act; Rape, Intimidation, and Infliction of bodily injury under the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) 2015; and Criminal force under the Penal Code.
However, the defendant upon arraignment in June 2023, pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The prosecution opened its case against the defendant, called a witness, and tendered evidence including the defendant’s confessional statement and confessional video, medical and investigation reports, as well as the statements of the victim and her mother to the police as proof of investigation.
Despite Laminu’s futile attempts to deny making the confessional statement and his claim that he was forced to confess, the prosecution succeeded in proving its case against him. He was then convicted and sentenced for the crime.
“It is also a warning to would-be perpetrators that the long arm of the law will definitely catch up with them. A key lesson for parents in this case is never to leave their kids unattended in a public place.
“Laminu Ahmed’s name will be included in the Sexual Offender’s Register as is required by law,” the prosecutor counsel said.