Lagos Court Sentences Pastor to 25 Years for Defiling 14-Year-Old Daughter
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Lagos State Sexual Offences Court has convicted and sentenced a 45-year-old pastor, Ndukwe Ogbu, to 25 years in prison for defilement and sexual assault by penetration of his 14-year-old daughter.
The court determined that the prosecution proved the elements of the alleged offenses against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Abike-Fadipe noted that Ogbu showed no remorse for his actions when he pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that he had other children to care for.
The judge found Ogbu guilty on all three counts brought against him by the Lagos State government.
The charges included sexual assault, sexual assault by penetration, and defilement of a 14-year-old girl.
Ogbu was arraigned in February 2021, and the trial began on October 18, 2021.
During the trial, the prosecution called several witnesses and presented evidence.
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The first prosecution witness was social worker Femi Oyeleke, who reported the case to the police.
The second prosecution witness was the victim herself, along with the doctor who conducted the examination on her.
In her testimony, the victim identified Ogbu as her father and recounted that the abuse began when she was 14 years old.
She stated that he entered her room naked, removed her clothes, and laid on her.
She testified that he had sexual intercourse with her multiple times and threatened her not to tell anyone.
Eventually, she confided in her teacher, who reported the case to the social worker, leading to police involvement.
Ogbu, who testified in his own defense, denied the allegations, claiming that he was not home during the incidents as described by the victim.
He acknowledged living in the same apartment as the victim, but indicated that she had her own room.
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He also revealed that he lost his wife when the children were young and that his other children lived in the village with their maternal grandmother, with whom he had not communicated for some time.
He further claimed that the victim was mentally unstable and tended to forget things quickly.
In delivering her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe affirmed the testimonies of the doctor and the social worker, which corroborated the victim’s account.
She noted that the victim was 15 years old when the offenses occurred and pointed out the defense’s failure to cross-examine the victim regarding her age.
As a result, the judge sentenced Ogbu to three years for count one, 25 years for count two, and another 25 years for count three.
While the total sentence amounted to 53 years, the judge ordered that they run concurrently.
Additionally, she ruled that his prison term should commence from December 2019 when he was first taken into custody.
