Bizman jailed 25yrs for defiling friend’s 16-month-old daughter

A Lagos High Court in Igbosere yesterday sentenced a 47-yearold businessman to 25 years’ imprisonment for defiling the 16-month-old daughter of his friend.

Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya in her judgment held that the prosecution had proved its case against Maduabuchi Onwuta beyond reasonable doubt.

“I find the defendant guilty of the offence of defilement. He is sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, which will commence from the date of sentencing.”

During the trial, the prosecution led by Mr Adebayo Haroun, had alleged that the convict committed the offence on November 26, 2013, at Isheri, Lagos.

According to Haroun, “The convict had been a longtime family friend of the complainant’s family. He and the complainant’s uncle were secondary school classmates.

“He helped the complainant’s mother by subletting a room in his apartment to her when she had accommodation problems.”

He said the complainant’s mother took the victim to Onwuta’s bedroom and put the toddler in his care while she went to take her bath, but upon her return, the baby had been defiled.

Onwuta, in his testimony on Feb. 6, 2017, however, denied the allegations.

The complainant’s mother, a policewoman and Dr John Bankole, a medical doctor, testified for the prosecution during the trial.

Bankole in his evidence, said that medical examination revealed bruising and signs of forceful trauma to the child’s private part, noting that the toddler had a broken and bridged hymen. (NAN)