27-year-old man sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a baby in a church

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced 27-year-old cleaner Saviour Udoh to life imprisonment for sexually abusing a five-year-old girl on the premises of a church.

Udoh was arraigned on February 5, 2020, on the state charge of sexual assault by penetration, but he pleaded not guilty.

According to the prosecution, ID Solarin, the offence committed by Udoh contravened Section 261 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

The court heard that the incident occurred on December 12, 2018, on the premises of a well-known Pentecostal church in Ikeja, Lagos.

Udoh, who also worked as a cleaner in the church, approached the sleeping child in the children’s section and sexually abused her.

The victim’s mother reported the crime to the authorities, which led to Udoh’s arrest.

Trial Judge Ramon Oshodi was of the opinion that the prosecution had proven the accused guilty of desecration beyond reasonable doubt.

He said the defendant’s act was serious, reprehensible and deserved the maximum punishment provided for by law.

In his judgment, Justice Oshodi said the court had carefully considered the evidence presented during the trial, including the confession, the statement of the victim, her mother, the IPO and the medical evidence.

He said that the crime of sexual exploitation of a defenseless child is serious and that the victim is still suffering from the consequences of the crime committed by the convict. He added that the victim’s mother stated in her statement that even three years after the incident, she was still taking the victim to the hospital and that the victim was still receiving discharges.

“Sexual abuse by penetration is a serious offence punishable by mandatory life imprisonment under Section 261 of the Penal Code,” he explained.

Judge Oshodi acknowledged the convict’s plea for clemency but said that the aggravating circumstances outweighed all other circumstances.

He therefore sentenced the accused to life imprisonment on one count of sexual assault by penetration and ordered that the convict’s name be registered on the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register.