The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, sentenced one Saliu Alowonle to 12 years imprisonment for grievous harm and having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl (name withheld).
Justice Rahman Oshodi convicted and sentenced Alowonle to 12 years imprisonment, following his plea bargain agreement to the amended two-count charge preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.
Oshodi said: “Saliu Alowonle, you have pleaded guilty to two serious offences – grievous harm and forcing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.
“These offences have caused significant trauma to the victim and her family.
“I have considered the terms of plea and sentence agreement which demonstrate acceptance of responsibility.
“I hereby sentence you to seven years imprisonment on count one and five years jail term on count two.”
He further held that the sentences would run consecutively, totaling 12 years.
“You shall be registered as a sex offender in the Lagos state sexual offences register.
“You shall also undergo a mandatory counseling and you must have no direct and indirect contact with the victim’s family,” the judge said.
The Lagos State Government had earlier charged the convict on a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit felony.
He had pleaded not guilty following his arraignment on June 20, 2022.
During the trial, the State Counsel, Ms Olufunmilayo Aluko, had called the stepfather of the survivor as a prosecution witness in the case.
The witness testified that the survivor was outside their apartment to take in clothes spread outside to dry in 2019, when two armed men forcefully took her to a nearby field.
The witness further said that a child that saw the abduction alerted passerby about the incident, which was reported to the police who arrested the convict while his accomplice escaped from the crime scene.
According to the stepfather, his wife had been overwhelmed and in trauma since the incident, and which made her relocate to Kogi State with the survivor.
Later in the trial, the prosecutor informed the court that Alowonle, through his counsel, Mr Yusuf Oyebanji, had entered a plea bargain agreement dated Feb. 19.
Oyebanji, in his allocutus, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in respect of his client.
“My lord, I plead with this court to temper justice with mercy.
“Since I came into this matter, I have witness the remorsefulness of the convict,” he said.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 245 and 265 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
