File image Ofure Siakpere, a 38-year-old businessman, was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for defiling and fertilizing his 14-year-old in-law (name kept).

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced Siakpere after finding him guilty of a charge of defilement contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Providing judgment, Soladoye said that the prosecution had actually proved every component for the offence of defilement. She described the prosecution witnesses as “compelling and convincing”.

She said, “This contrasts that of the defence which was complete and rather shallow of misconception. The evidence of the defence witnesses were merely self-serving.”

The judge advised moms and dads to stop sending their kids to stay with loved ones and advised that they should prepare their families by giving birth to the number of children they can manage.

“The defendant maltreated the victim (his wife’s niece) by defiling her. The conduct of this so-called in-law is demeaning and upsetting. Where is the accused’s humanity and moral compass?

“This case is a reflection of sexual lawlessness that takes place within the family circle.

“The defendant must be appropriately sanctioned in the hope that this will act as a deterrent to others to not toe the line of sexual misbehavior.

“The accused Ofure Siakpere, is thus sentenced to life imprisonment without any option of fine.

“His name shall likewise be registered in the Sex Offenders Register as kept by the Lagos State Government,” she said.

According to the Lead State Prosecutor, Funke Adegoke, Siakpere dedicated the offence on or about March 2018 at his home situated at No. 10, Salaudeen Imam Street, Lagos.

The found guilty was 35 years old when the offense was committed.

Throughout the trial, 2 witnesses; the survivor and a medical physician, Dr Aniekan Makanjuola, from Women at Risk International Foundation testified on behalf of the prosecution.

The survivor in her proof stated that she was overpowered and defiled on at least 15 events by the convict while dealing with him and his spouse who was her auntie.

She said that anytime she resisted his advances, he beats her up.

The survivor said that she became pregnant as an outcome of the abuse.

At the time of her testimony in court, she had actually been provided of an infant.

The found guilty and his partner, Adebimpe Siakpere testified for the defence.

Siakpere in his testimony, denied the claims, explaining it as incorrect.

ToriNG