A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has sentenced Igwe Ambrose, a 65-year-old landlord, to life imprisonment for defiling his tenant’s children.
Ambrose was found guilty of inserting his fingers into the private parts of his tenant’s children.
He was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
The survivors are aged 7 and 11.
The court said the landlord committed the offences at Shagari Estate, Ipaja, between January and June 2021.
In her verdict, Abiola Soladoye, the judge, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Soladoye said the survivors identified the defendant and the evidence exposed him as a “bare-faced liar”.
The judge described the landlord as a “dirty old man” who fingered and touched the breasts of the survivors on the pretext of helping them with their school assignments.
“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses (survivors) were credible, as they cannot consent to being fingered by the landlord,” the judge ruled.
“The defendant was identified as the assailant and their evidences were corroborated by their mother and the investigating police officer (IPO) who visited the crime scene and a clear account of the assault and indecent treatment was confirmed.”
The judge sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment for count one and count two each; while counts three and four carried seven years jail term each.
“Counts one and two carry life imprisonment each; the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the count charge,” Soladoye added.
“In respect to counts three and four which carry seven years jail term, the defendant is hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the count charge.
“His name is to be entered in the sexual offences register maintained by Lagos State Government,” the judge said.
The Lagos State Domestic & Sexual Violence Agency reiterated the State’s Zero tolerance stance and insists that there is help for survivors even as it remains committed to ensuring perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
