Court sentences Lagos resident to life imprisonment for defiling neighbour’s six-month old baby

An Ikeja sexual offences and domestic violence court has sentenced one Victor Dickson to life imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s six-month-old baby.

Rahman Oshodi, the trial judge, on Monday, convicted Dickson of the charge of sexual assault by penetration.

Dickson was said to have committed the crime in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos on October 17, 2021.

The prosecutor had told the court that the convict sexually assaulted the child by inserting his finger into her vagina.

The prosecutor called the following as witnesses: mother of the child, father, and an investigative police officer; while the convict testified as sole witness for the defence.

In his verdict, Oshodi ruled that the prosecutor proved the charge of sexual assault by penetration beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge held that circumstantial evidence in the case was compelling.

Oshodi recounted how the child’s mother testified that Dickson took the baby while she was outside washing clothes, carried her into his room, and assaulted her.

“In your extra judicial statement, you (Dickson) confirmed that you carried the child but never penetrated her vagina,” Oshodi said.

“However, in your oral evidence before this court, you denied ever carrying the child at all and alleged that the child’s mother was on a revenge mission because you turned down her sexual advances towards you.

“You betrayed the trust that the mother of the child had in you by picking up the naked baby from her potty, carried her into your room, closed your door and violated her.”

The judge ruled that Dickson should serve the life sentence in a maximum security custodial centre and his name registered in the sexual offenders’ list.

(TheCable)