Lagos special sexual offences and domestic violence court delivers first judgement

Barely two weeks after the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Lagos State was commissioned, it delivered its first judgement on the case of a 58-year-old tailor, Cobina Iziejen, who defiled a 12-year-old girl (name withheld) on Thursday.
The Sexual offences Court, which was commissioned on February 1 by the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, convicted the accused after he confessed to have slept with the victim, a primary five pupil, on three different occasions.
Iziejen was arraigned alongside two others: Raimi Jimoh (38) and Arowolo Kazeem Olorunwa (35), on a three-count charge of defilement of a child.
The accused committed the offence sometimes in 2017 around Orimedu Town, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos
While delivering judgement, the judge said: “In view of the plea of guilt and the facts by the prosecutor, Iziejen is hereby convicted accordingly.”
However, the Chief State Prosecutor, B.T. Boye, said while the accused, who is the third defendant in the matter, pleaded guilty, the other two denied the allegation.
According to Boye: “It was observed by the school authorities that the child was fond of returning late from lunch break during school hours.
“Upon enquiry, the child admitted that the 2nd defendant, Olorunwa, has been having sexual intercourse with her during break time.
“The head teacher of the school probed further and thereafter reported the matter at Akodo Police Station, Ibeju Lekki.
“It was at the station that the victim also mentioned the 1st and 3rd defendants as persons who have also defiled her severally during break time.
“Also, Iziejen pleaded guilty on February 12, 2018 and Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 states that any person who has sexual intercourse with a child commits a felony and upon conviction serves a punishment of imprisonment for life.”
Meanwhile, in his confessional statement, Iziejen had stated that the girl often comes to his residence at Orimedu to sew clothes.
He said: “On that fateful, she (victim) came to my house and told me she wanted to sew a dress but didn’t have any fabric.
“I discovered a funny character she exhibited but since I knew I had anaemia, I advised myself not to have intimacy with any female.
“I couldn’t hold the urge anymore since she was acting in a way I didn’t want people to notice her presence.
“I gave in and had intercourse with her on three different occasions.
“But after the intercourse, on the first day, I gave her N1,500 because she told me she wanted to buy books at school.”
The matter was adjourned till February 21 for sentencing at 11am.