The presiding judge, Justice Abiola Soladoye, delivered the verdict on Monday after careful consideration of the evidence presented during the trial.
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Man sentenced to life imprisonment for fingering his 3 children, aged 5, 7, 9
Nigeria’s Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Ademola Oladimeji to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his three children, aged 5, 7, and 9.
Man jailed
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According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Soladoye noted that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, including the three survivors, were deemed believable and truthful. The charges against Oladimeji were related to sexual assault by penetration, a distinction made by the court, rather than defilement.
During the judgment, Justice Soladoye remarked, "Upon careful review of the evidence before the court, the children did not say their father inserted his penis into their 'bum bum'; they only said he touched their 'bum bum.' I observed the three of them. They did not lie about their father; they did not say he used his penis, he only used his fingers."
The court emphasized that the children provided unshaken testimonies about their father's repeated actions of violating their innocence by inserting his fingers into their vaginas. The wife of the defendant supported their claims, testifying that the children complained of pain in their private areas, and a medical examination at the Mirabel Medical Centre confirmed they had been sexually assaulted.
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Justice Soladoye criticized the defendant's attempts to distance himself from the allegations, stating, "To the mind of this court, I do not believe his narration, though he denied fiddling with his daughters. His testimony did not add up. His narration shows how desperate he is to get out of the charge against his children."
Describing the defendant's conduct as despicable, morally corrupt, incestuous, and against the order of nature, Justice Soladoye convicted Oladimeji on each count of sexual assault by penetration. The judge held that the prosecution failed to establish the charges of defilement but convicted the defendant on the amended charges.
The sentence of life imprisonment for each count will run concurrently. Justice Soladoye also noted that Ademola Oladimeji's name will be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
The state counsel, Olufunke Adegoke, presented five witnesses during the trial, while the convict testified as the sole witness in his defence. The sentencing sends a strong message about the gravity of such offences and the commitment of the legal system to protect the rights and well-being of victims.
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