Court sentences cleric to life imprisonment for defiling neighbour’s daughter

An Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Tuesday sentenced a 50-year-old cleric, Isa Mustapha, to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s eight-year-old daughter.

It was gathered that Mustapha is charged with defilement.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ramon Oshodi, held that the prosecution had successfully proven the ingredients of defilement against the convict.

“In defilement, consent of the survivor is immaterial as a child can not give consent. I believe the evidence of the survivor’s father when he said she was eight years old when the incident happened.

“The prosecution has successfully proved the first ingredient of defilement.

“The survivor, who identified the defendant as “Alfa”  who lives downstairs of their house, testified that her mother sent her on an errand to buy pepper which the defendant told sent her to bring onions for him.

“On her way back to her house, he lured her inside his room.

“The survivor told this court that the defendant slept with her four times and that the defendant lives alone in his apartment.

“The testimony of the survivor was impeccably clear as there was no inconsistency in her evidence.

The judge said that the defendant’s oral submission, medical report and the investigative police officer corroborated the evidence before the court.

The judge ordered that the convict’s name should be entered into the register of sexual offenders of Lagos state.

(NAN)