Justice Abiola Soladoye of Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court yesterday sentenced a 42-year-old father, Ekpo Lawrence to life imprisonment for defiling and putting his 15-year-old daughter in a family way.
Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution proved the ingredients of the charge of defilement proffered against Ekpo by the Lagos State Government beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court held that the evidence given by the prosecution was consistent while those of the defendant were inconsistent and manifestly unreliable, adding that the convict’s denial of the allegations was a calculated attempt to mislead the court.
“The immoral behavior of having sex with his biological daughter is toxic, absolutely disgraceful and an abomination contrary to the law of nature. It is morally reprehensible as it is incest.
“Where is the self-respect of this defendant? How absolutely bizarre? Having sex with his daughter obviously took away his ability to make rational decisions. He foolishly tampered with the purity and self-esteem of his child.
“I pray for inner peace for the victim to relieve her of fear and hatred for her father who sexually molested her several times so that she can deal with her pains, trials and tribulations and go on to live a purpose-driven life.
“A father should be a trusted person in the life of a child. He is supposed to keep his child safe but he betrayed her sexually. He ripped purity off her body and her soul. This is taboo and he must, no doubt, face the music for his morbid, sordid sexual misconduct.
“For the above-stated reasons, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine,” the Judge said.
Justice Soladoye ordered that the convict’s name should be registered in the Sex Offenders’ Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.
The prosecution, led by Mrs Bola Akinsete, said the convict committed the offence between December 2018 and June 2019 at his home at Agege Lagos and was 39-years-old when the offence was committed.
“He defiled his 15-year-old daughter by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her,” she said.
During, the trial four witnesses; the survivor, a medical doctor, a social worker and a police officer testified for the prosecution while Lawrence testified solely in his defence.
The survivor who was 17-years-old when she gave her evidence in court said that her father had, on numerous occasions, defiled her whenever her stepmother travels.
She said the incest came to light when she confided in a social worker in her school about her father’s actions.
Dr Maria Fadaka of the Mirabel Centre (a Sexual Assault Referral Centre) in her evidence said after examining the survivor, her findings had revealed evidence of vaginal penetration and early pregnancy.
Lawrence, in his defence, had denied having sexual intercourse with his child, claiming he was at work when the defilements allegedly took place.
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