Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Thursday sentenced a 27-year-old trader, Chidi Ibiam, to 21-years imprisonment for defiling a six-year old girl.
Justice Ogunsanya gave the ruling after he found Ibiam, who sells foodstuffs and resides at the Baruwa area of Lagos, guilty of a one count charge of defilement.
The case, which was brought against him by the state government, lasted over two years.
Prosecution team, led by the state Counsel, Adebayo Haroun, informed the court that Ibiam committed the offence on Dec. 15, 2012 and was caught after the victim reported the assault to her mother.
Adebayo also told the judge that the convict was well known to the victim’s family as he was both a neighbour and a church member.
The victim (name withheld) in her testimony, testified that the convict had unlawful carnal knowledge of her on 12 different occasions including at his shop and in a neighbour’s house.
The offence, according to the prosecution, is contrary and punishable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
In her judgment, Justice Ogunsanya, who noted with sadness that the six year old girl referred to Ibiam’s genitals as “tom tom” throughout her testimony, admonished parents to start teaching their children the rightful names of male and female genitals.
“Parents should teach their children the right names of genitals and give their wards proper sex education, so that they can know what to do in situations like this,” the Judge said.
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