Father rapes, impregnates daughter for 12 years; judge, Lagos ministry’s disagree over jail time

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on has sentenced a father to 12-year jail time for raping his daughter over a 12-year period in Lagos.

The judge however was not satisfied with the punishment the justice ministry proposed.

State counsel Omowumi Bajulaye-Bishi told the court that Akin Isaac defiled his daughter from age six to age 18., contravening Section 137 of the Criminal Law Cap C.17 Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

She noted that between 2014 and 2020, the 51-year-old man was having unlawful sexual intercourse with his daughter, resulting in at least one pregnancy which he attempted to abort.

In her judgment on the plea bargain agreement the convict signed with the state, the judge said the 21 years proposed sentence by the ministry of justice was too small to the offence which carried life imprisonment.

“I knew this case very well. I could remember the survivor was crying when giving evidence before the court that she had abortion and how the defendant had beaten her,’ she said.

“The prosecution had called four witnesses who testified against the defendant. The defendant initially pleaded not guilty.”

But when he pleaded guilty in the trial which began in February, the judge ordered the court registrar to put the convict in the witness box to go through the process of plea bargain—to know if he was forced or otherwise to change his story.

Isaac said he decided to change his plea, pleading with the court to have mercy on him.