Anthony Iwuoma
A businessman, Ofure Siakpere, is to spend the rest of his life in prison, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has ruled.
The convict was found guilty of defiling and impregnating his 14-year-old in-law (name withheld) in his care.
Siakpere committed the offence on or about March 2018 at his residence located at No. 10, Salaudeen Imam St., Lagos. He was then aged 35 years old.
Justice Abiola Soladoye Siakpere guilty as charged in contravention of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015, adding that the prosecution had proved all aspects of the charge.
She described the prosecution witnesses as “compelling and convincing”.
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“This is contrary to that of the defence which was rather shallow and full of fallacy. The evidence of the defence witnesses were merely self-serving,” she said.
The judge admonished parents to stop sending their children to stay with relatives and advised that they should plan their families by giving birth to the number of children they can afford.
“The defendant maltreated the victim (his wife’s niece) by defiling her. The conduct of this so-called in-law is hurtful and demeaning. Where is the defendant’s humanity and moral compass?
“This case is a reflection of sexual lawlessness that occurs within the family circle.
“The defendant must be duly sanctioned in the hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others to not tow the line of sexual misconduct.
“The defendant Ofure Siakpere, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.
“His name shall also be registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government,” the judge ruled.
