Foundation lauds Lagos court for ensuring pedophile does not walk free

Foundation lauds Lagos court for ensuring pedophile does not walk free.

An NGO, Cece Yara Foundation, has lauded Lagos State Sexual Offences Court for sentencing a 34-year-old man, Mr Blessing Okon, to life imprisonment without an option of fine for defiling a 14-year old girl.

The foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Adetutu Ajibodu, told Newsmen on Thursday in Lagos that the judgment was yet another positive step in the fight against child sexual abuse.

Ajibodu said that the case was first reported to the foundation in 2019 through its toll-free child helpline.

According to her, Okon, who worked as a security guard at the survivor’s parent’s house had been serially defiling the 14-year-old girl since she was nine years old.

“The Cece Yara Foundation facilitated access to justice for the survivor by documenting the case with the police, institution of the case in court and also providing medical and psychosocial services for the survivor.

We are glad to have received a judgment against Okon before the court of law, for his heinous crimes against a little girl over a period of five years.

“We are pleased with the stakeholders’ effort that facilitated the ease of prosecuting this case, and we express our gratitude to all partners that have worked with us in ensuring the health and wellbeing of the survivor,” she said.

The CEO said that Justice A.O. Soladoye of the Lagos State Sexual Offences court had pronounced the judgment on Jan. 31, 2022.

Also, the foundation’s Head of the Forensic interview and Legal team, Mrs Bisi Ajayi-Kayode, said that the judgment showed that incidences of child sexual abuse could be reduced when perpetrators were held accountable for the crime.

Ajayi-Kayode said: “It also reflects legal empowerment of the poor and marginalised groups with the Cece Yara’s professional service one-stop response of child protection services at no cost on-site.

“Also, the viable tool of the foundation’s 24-hour toll-free child helpline for information, care, case reporting, professional counseling, referrals and emergency interventions.

“The opinion is that the judgment will serve as a deterrent to other perpetrators.

“Also, it will encourage other children, who have been abused or at risk and their non-surviving families to access justice against the menace of child sexual abuse.”

The National Daily reports that Cece Yara Foundation is a child-centred non-profit organisation.

It was established in 2016 to prevent child sexual abuse and to provide access to care, information, protection and emergency intervention for children who have experienced sexual abuse or who are at risk.