A businessman, Ofure Siakpere, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for defiling and impregnating his 14-year-old in-law (name withheld) in his care.
Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Siakpere after finding him guilty on a charge of defilement in violation of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
In her judgment, justice Soladoye upheld that the prosecutor had proveded enough evidents for the offence of defilement, describing the evidence of the prosecution witnesses as “compelling and convincing”.
“This is contrary to that of the defence which was rather shallow and full of falacy. The evidence of the defence witness was merely self serving,” she said.
The judge admonished parents to stop sending their children to live with relatives and also advised them to plan their families by giving birth to the number of children they could cater for.
“The defendant maltreated the victim, his wife’s niece, by defiling her, an act the judge described as wicked, barbaric and demeaning.
“This case is a reflection of sexual lawlessness that occurs within the family circle.
“The defendant must be duly sanctioned in the hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others not to tow the line of sexual misconduct.
“The defendant, Ofure Siakpere, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.
“His name shall also be registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government,” she said.