Crime
Driver bags life imprisonment for raping employer’s granddaughter
A 56-year-old driver identified to be Folarin Raufu, had been sentenced for life imprisonment yesterday by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court Division for raping his employer’s granddaughter, aged five years.
It was learnt that Justice Abiola Soladoye held that the prosecution successfully proved all the ingredients of defilement against Raufu.
Soladoye said the conduct of the convict was nasty.
According to her, the minor/survivor brilliantly presented the sequence of how the convict defiled her.
She said, “The survivor was lucid and unshaken during her cross-examination, as she spoke eloquently and intelligently detailing the gristly incident of how her grandfather’s driver ruthlessly defiled her in their living room and inside her grandfather’s jeep.
“The survivor recognised the defendant as Mr Folarin, who had sexual intercourse with her both in the living room and inside her grandfather’s jeep.
“The grandfather, who was Prosecution Witness Two (PW2), in his testimony, said that his granddaughter whispered in his ears that the defendant defiled her, which necessitated his arrest.”
She described the convict as a liar, who tried to avoid the charge by claiming that he did not understand the English Language but still responded appropriately when the court registrar read out the charge in the English Language.
“The defendant denied having sexual intercourse with the survivor but told the court that he only planted kisses on her cheeks and cuddled her.
“Under cross-examination, he denied making any statement at Ojodu Police Station but the same statement was tendered and admitted in evidence as Exhibit B.
“He lied to the court,” she said.
The judge held that evidence of the survivor was corroborated by a medical report from Mirabel Medical Centre as well as testimonies of two other Prosecution witnesses.
“The defendant is an ingrate who should be named and shamed as a disloyal, unreliable and untrustworthy employee.
“The court finds you, Folarin Raufu, guilty of the offence and hereby sentences you to life imprisonment.
“The convict should have his name registered in the sexual offences register as maintained by Lagos State,” the judge said.
Soladoye called on parents and guardians to desist from entrusting their children and wards to the care of ‘good-for-nothing staff’ to avoid sexual assault.
“The need for supervision at all times cannot be over-emphasised in this age and time, where sexual abuse is being perpetrated.
“Furthermore, children should be trained to speak up and report any sexual violations to their parents, teachers or authorities so that they can be properly investigated,” she added.
Lagos State counsel, Ms Abimbola Abolade, presented four witnesses during the trial and tendered two documents in evidence, while the defendant testified as the sole defence witness.
According to Lagos State Government, which prosecuted the case, child defilement violates Section 137 of its Criminal Law of 2015.
The offence attracts life imprisonment.
Crime
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Crime
Police admit officer shot man killed on Lagos fuel queue
The Lagos State Police Command has admitted that one of its officers is responsible for the death of a young man, Toheeb Eniafe.
Toheeb was shot on Wednesday at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
Eniafe was reported to have been shot dead while he and some others were resisting the move by some security agents to buy fuel without joining the queue.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this on Thursday.
He said, “The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.
“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available.
“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice,” the PRO stated.
Crime
Internet fraudster bags seven years in Port Harcourt
Justice P.M Ayua of the Federal High Court sitting in PortHarcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced one Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri to seven years imprisonment.
He was jailed after pleading guilty to three-count charges bordering on internet fraud contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.
One of the count charges reads: “That you, Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri, and Solmyr (atlarge) between June, 2021 to November, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly caused your victims loss by inputting or suppressing data in computers thereby benefiting the aggregate sum of $3000 (Three thousand United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his guilty pleas, prosecuting counsel, I. Agwu sought to review the facts of the case through the investigating officer, Abalaka Stephen, an operative of the Commission. While being led in evidence, he told the court that the defendant was arrested by operatives of the Commission following a written petition by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, against the defendant for alleged internet fraud activities. He was thereafter apprehended sometime in February, 2024 at Owerri, Imo State.
Testifying further, he told the court that the defendant in his voluntary statement to the EFCC, confessed to being into internet fraud, spreading of computer virus, spamming and also causing his victims losses by inputting data in computers. He confessed benefiting an aggregate sum of Three Thousand United States Dollars ($3,000) by representing himself to unsuspecting victims as different individuals
Agwu, thereafter, sought to tender in evidence, the statements, and all the items recovered from the defendant. The court thereafter admitted the evidence and were marked as exhibits.
Thereafter, the trial judge declared him guilty as charged.
Defence counsel, B. Onuoha, on the other hand prayed the court for leniency. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, considering his status as a first-time offender, and remorse for his actions.
Justice Ayua sentenced him to seven years imprisonment cumulatively with Three Million Naira (3,000,000.00) as an option of fine payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In addition, the judge ordered that, items recovered from the convict, two laptops, a mobile device, Toyota Highlander with Registration: NKR 736 AA, two story buildings containing six units of two bedroom flats should be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Additionally, the convict shall depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.
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