Daniel Okon, 42, a Chief Security Officer of a company, was sentenced to life in prison by an Ikeja Sexual Offenses and Domestic Violence Court yesterday for defiling a 4-year-old girl.
According to Justice Abiola Soladoye, the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime of defilement.
Okon was charged with one count of defiling a minor in violation of Section 137 of the Lagos State 2015 Penal Code. Olufunke Adegoke, the State Prosecuting Attorney, stated that Mrs. Adegoke informed the court that the guilty party had engaged in illicit sexual relations with the minor.
Judge Soladoye rendered a decision in the case, noting that the victim had stated that she began to cry and yell after the defendant defiled her, drawing attention from the neighbors On April 21, 2017, at approximately 11:30 a.m. in Aguda, Surulere.
The court decided that PW 2’s evidence proved she observed the defendant in 2017 when he interfered with her daughter’s virginity.
“The mother claimed that she heard a disturbance and that upon checking, she found that the defendant had mistreated her daughter.
“We went to the hospital, and they verified that she had been infected and that there had been penetration.”
Justice Soladoye went on to say that the third prosecution witness, the doctor, likewise stated in his testimony that there was an opening, a vaginal discharge, and the absence of the hymen.
The court ruled, “This defense claim cannot stand in the face of the overwhelming evidence before the court.”
The judge stated that the defilement of a kid case needed three elements to be proven.
Three requirements must be met: the child must be underage, the defendant must have had sex with the child, and the child must be able to recognize the defendant.
“The victim was defiled when she was 4 years old, but she was 7 years old when she appeared in court.
According to her, she began yelling from the restroom since a youngster is not legally allowed to consent to sexual activity.
“She detailed the defendant’s sexual molestation of her.”
In addition, Justice Soladoye accused the survivor’s mother of negligence for neglecting her 4-year-old daughter.
“It’s her own fault, Children are priceless and ought to be handled with gentle care”.
The convict was sentenced by the judge according to the charges.
The judge therefore sentences the convict as charged.
“Daniel Okon this court found you guilty of the offence of defilement of a minor. You are here by sentenced to life imprisonment. Your name should be registered in the Lagos state sexual offenders register,” the judge said.
During the trial, the prosecution called three witnesses including the victim while the convict testified for himself.