Man jailed 17 years for sexually assaulting 7-year-old neighbour’s granddaughter

An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, has sentenced a man, Sunday Okoronkwo, to 17 years in prison for sexually assaulting his neighbour’s seven-year-old granddaughter.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi sentenced Okoronkwo to a 17-year jail term at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

This followed the convict’s plea bargain to a two-count amended charge of attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault.

Oshodi said he was satisfied that the convict made an informed plea bargain agreement with the prosecution, fully understanding the nature and gravity of the criminal allegation against him.

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According to him, the offences committed by the convict reveal an alarming conduct.

You sexually assaulted a 7-year-old child who is your neighbour’s granddaughter.

The prosecutor’s evidence, which was corroborated by both your confessions, established that you had sexual intercourse with her.

You elected to enter into a plea bargain wherein you pleaded guilty to attempting to commit sexual assault by penetration.

The maximum sentence for attempting to commit sexual assault by penetration is 14 years imprisonment, while sexual assault carries a maximum term of three years imprisonment.

Oshodi thereafter sentenced the convict to 14 years imprisonment for attempted sexual assault by penetration and three years for sexual assault.

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He further held that the sentences should run concurrently from Dec. 14, 2018, when the convict was first remanded in custody.

I strongly advise you to use this period of incarceration constructively by participating in available rehabilitation programmes, particularly those addressing sexual offending behaviours.

Furthermore, under sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021, I hereby order that your name be registered in the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register maintained by the Lagos State Government, Oshodi said.

NAN reports that the convict was first arraigned on Nov. 19, 2021 and re-arraigned on Oct. 28 2024 on the charge of defilement in which he had pleaded not guilty on both occasions.

The State Counsel, Ms Bukola Okeowo had called three witnesses; the survivor, her mother, and an investigative police officer through whom a medical report was admitted into evidence.

Okeowo had submitted that the convict committed the offences on Dec. 14 2018, in Ijeshatedo, Lagos.

The survivor, in her testimony, had told the court that the convict who was a neighbour to her grandmother had sent her on an errand and then lured her into his room, removed her clothes and unlawfully had sex with her.

The prosecution, however, informed the court that the convict had entered a plea bargain agreement which necessitated the amended charge.

According to the prosecution, the offences violate Sections 262 and 263 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

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