Justice Michael Nduka Obi of Delta State High Court, sitting at Effurun, near Warri, has convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old man, Godspower Ojakovo to 15 years imprisonment, for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
The convict was charged for having unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl at Effurun, on March 30, 2020, an offence punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006.
During the trial, the prosecution led by a chief State counsel in the state’s Ministry of Justice, Mrs. C. O. Onojovwo, called three witnesses.
The witnesses told the court that the defendant, who was a neighbour, was sleeping with the girl whenever her parents were not around.
The prosecutor told the court that Ojakovo always give the child N50 and sometimes N100 after every act.
He also threatened to kill the child and her parents, if the girl ever reported to them.
“A vigilant neighbour, who noticed the defendant’s acts, reported to the child’s parents, who in turn reported to the local vigilante.
“A trap was thereafter set for the defendant and was subsequently caught in the act and handed over to the police for investigation,” the prosecution said.
The defendant confessed to the police and made a written confessional statement, which was tendered in court.
However, the convict retracted his confessional statement during the trial and denied committing the offence.
The defendant said the girl’s parents had issues with him and as such framed him up for the offence.
In his verdict, Justice Obi held that the prosecution proved the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge dismissed the denial of the defendant as an afterthought, stating that people like the defendant needed to be kept out of circulation.
He stated that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other paedophiles, still walking freely on the streets of Delta State.
