Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a school proprietor, Benson Arinze, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old pupil.
The judge delivered the judgment on Wednesday after finding Arinze guilty of defilement of a minor. Shortly after the court’s pronouncement, the convict burst into tears.
The survivor was a pupil of Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School in Ibeju-Lekki, which was owned by the convict.
The state prosecution counsel, O.E. Adeoye, told the court that the incident happened in 2022. The child usually remained in school after closing hours while waiting for her parents to arrive.
According to the prosecution, Arinze took advantage of the period the child stayed behind after school to sexually assault her.
The court heard that Arinze inserted his finger into the victim’s private part while one of his teachers, Victor Ezenwata, rubbed his private part on the child.
Trouble started when the victim’s mother noticed unusual behaviour from her daughter and questioned her about it. The child then disclosed the repeated sexual abuse she had suffered within the school premises.
The matter was reported to the police by the victim’s father.
Arinze was initially charged alongside Ezenwata on counts of sexual assault by penetration of a six-year-old child, contrary to the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Ezenwata faced a three-count charge of sexual assault by penetration, unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent treatment of a child. During the proceedings, his lawyer applied for a plea bargain. An amended charge was read to him, and he pleaded guilty. The court convicted and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.
Arinze, however, maintained throughout the trial that he was innocent of the allegations against him.
In her judgment, Justice Soladoye held that the evidence led by the prosecution proved the convict’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge said the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were clear, direct and compelling, providing sufficient evidence linking the convict to the offence. She further held that the evidence from the defence witnesses was merely self-serving and failed to discredit the prosecution’s case.
After convicting Arinze, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered that his name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
