Lagos Court Sentences Idris Ashimiyu to Life Imprisonment for Defiling 11-Year-Old Girl

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Idris Ashimiyu to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of defiling an 11-year-old girl in Lagos State.

Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday after ruling that the prosecution had proved the one-count charge against Ashimiyu beyond reasonable doubt. The court also ordered that his name be entered in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.

Ashimiyu had pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by A.A. Adeniyi, called one witness, the survivor, who testified that she was 11 years old when the incident occurred and 13 at the time of the trial.

The girl told the court that she knew Ashimiyu because he helped run errands and wash cars within their compound. She testified that she was outside on the day of the incident when he came upstairs and sexually assaulted her.

According to her testimony, her grandmother discovered what had happened after going to look for her. The court also heard that Ashimiyu was beaten before being taken to the police station.

In his defence, Ashimiyu’s counsel, A.O. Ayode, called a witness identified as Ibrahim. He told the court that he knew the defendant but was not present when the incident occurred because he had gone to work. He said he learnt about the matter from a neighbour.

Ibrahim further testified that Ashimiyu had told him he did not rape the child but was only playing with her.

In evaluating the evidence, Justice Soladoye said she had considered the survivor’s age, the consistency of her testimony and the issue of consent. She described the testimony as credible and coherent, concluding that the prosecution had established that the girl was a child and had not consented to the sexual act.

The judge also noted that Ashimiyu did not testify in his own defence. She subsequently convicted him of defilement and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Justice Soladoye further ordered that his name be entered in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register as part of the court’s judgment.