A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has sentenced bricklayer Azeez Shoderu, also known as Chisco, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his neighbour’s eight-year-old daughter.

Delivering the judgment on Monday, Justice Rahman Oshodi stated that the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence proving the charge of defilement beyond reasonable doubt. He described Shoderu’s account as inconsistent and unconvincing.

The incident occurred on July 27, 2022, at a compound on Ago-Hausa Street in Ajegunle, where Shoderu was residing as a squatter. Though he claimed to have asked the child to bring him water in the toilet, the survivor testified that he sexually assaulted her in the bathroom. Her statement was supported by medical findings and testimonies from the Investigating Police Officer and a medical doctor.

Justice Oshodi emphasized that under Nigerian law, a child under 18 cannot give valid consent to sexual activity and acknowledged the long-term psychological harm inflicted on the victim. He also ordered that Shoderu’s name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.

During the trial, led by prosecutor O.S. Dada, three witnesses and several exhibits were presented. While the defence sought leniency citing the defendant’s lack of prior convictions, the prosecution highlighted the severity of the offence and the vulnerability of the victim. The judge also noted a prior police report suggesting this was not Shoderu’s first offence.

The court found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.