Rita Odafe
A 27-year-old janitor, Saviour Udoh, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl on the premises of a church.
The court found Udoh guilty of defilement based on the evidence presented by the prosecution without any reasonable doubt.
Udoh faced a charge of sexual assault by penetration when he was arraigned on February 5, 2020, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The offense committed by Udoh violated Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, according to the prosecution counsel, I.D. Solarin.
The incident took place on December 12, 2018, at a well-known Pentecostal church in Ikeja, Lagos, where Udoh, who worked as a janitor, assaulted the child while she was sleeping in the children’s department.
Upon the victim’s mother reporting the crime, Udoh was apprehended by the authorities.
During the sentencing, Justice Ramon Oshodi emphasized the gravity of the crime committed by Udoh.
He mentioned, “The evidence presented during the trial, which includes the confession, victim and mother testimonies, IPO statements, and medical evidence, clearly shows the egregious act of sexually exploiting a vulnerable child.”
Justice Oshodi highlighted the ongoing impact on the victim and her family following the assault by Udoh.
He further added, “The victim’s mother revealed that three years after the incident, she was still taking her daughter to the hospital due to ongoing complications. This illustrates the enduring physical and emotional trauma inflicted on the child.”
“The victim, who was only five years old at the time, placed her trust in you, and her mother entrusted her care to you. By sexually assaulting the child, you despicably shattered that trust. Sexual assault by penetration is a severe crime carrying a mandatory life imprisonment sentence under Section 261 of the Criminal Law,” he concluded.
Udoh was convicted on one count of sexual assault by penetration and was handed a life sentence. Additionally, the court ordered that Udoh’s name be included in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
