A 42-year-old father, Ekpo Lawrence, was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine by an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for defiling and impregnating his 15-year-old daughter.
Giving the judgement, Justice Abiola Soladoye said the prosecution diligently proved the ingredients of the charge of defilement that was proffered against Lawrence by the Lagos government.
Commending the prosecution, the judge said the evidence cited by the prosecution had been consistent, while that of the defendant had been inconsistent and manifestly unreliable.
Soladoye in the judgement noted that Lawrence’s denial of the allegations amounted to calculated attempt to mislead the court.
She said: “The inglorious conduct of this defendant is dirty, scandalous and unpardonable under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and condemnable in all ramifications.
“The immoral behaviour of having sex with his own biological daughter is toxic, absolutely disgraceful and an abomination contrary to the law of nature. It is morally reprehensible as it is incest.
“Where is the self respect of this defendant? How absolutely bizarre. Having sex with his daughter obviously took away his ability to make rational decisions. He foolishly tampered with the purity and self esteem of his child.”
Soladoye prayed for inner peace for the victim to relieve her of fear and hatred for her father, who sexually molested her severally, so that she could deal with her pains, trials and tribulations and go on to live a purpose driven life.
“A father should be a trusted person in the life of a child. He is supposed to keep his child safe but betrayed her sexually; he ripped purity off her body and her soul.
“This is a taboo and he must no doubt face the music for his morbid, sordid sexual misconduct. For the above stated reasons, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.
“He is to have his name registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State government,” he said.
According to prosecution led by Mrs Bola Akinsete, Lawrence committed the offence between December 2018 and June 2019 at his home in Agege, Lagos.
He was 39-years-old when the offence was committed.
“He defiled his 15-year-old daughter by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her,” he said.
During, the trial four witnesses: the survivor, a medical doctor, a social worker and police officer testified for the prosecution while Lawrence testified solely in his defence.
The survivor who was 17-years-old when she gave her evidence in court said her father had on numerous occasions defiled her whenever her stepmother travelled.
She said the incest came to light when the she confided in a social worker in her school about her father’s actions.
Dr Maria Fadaka of the Mirabel Centre (a Sexual Assault Referral Centre) in her evidence, said after examining the survivor, her findings had revealed evidence of vaginal penetration and early pregnancy.
Lawrence in his defence had denied having sexual intercourse with his child claiming he was at work when the defilements allegedly took place.
