Lagos Teacher Sentenced to Life In Prison for Raping 8-Year-Old Pupil

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced 23-year-old teacher John Osifo to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old pupil.

Justice Ramon Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court convicted John Osifo on Monday, December 9, 2024, for defiling an eight-year-old pupil.

Osifo had been arraigned on January 31, 2022, on a single count of defilement, to which he initially pleaded not guilty.

Osifo’s charge sheet read, “Statement of offence def!lement of a child contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. “Particulars of Offence, Osifo John between May 2020 and June 2021, at number 2 Vissol Street, Jejelaye, Ajamgbadi, and Marifod Private School Ajamgbadi, Lagos, in the Ikeja Judicial Division did def!le one (name withheld) aged eight years, by having unlawful s3xual intercourse with her”

During the trial, the prosecution team—comprising B.T. Boye, O. Aluko, I.D. Solarin, and B.E. Okeowo—called three witnesses: the prosecutrix’s mother, the prosecutrix, and Dr. Mary Adenike Osuntoye, a medical expert.

The defense, led by Gbenga Olubanke and Peju Owowa, presented eight witnesses, including a home lesson student, the school administrator, a fellow teacher, the mother of the student, the defendant’s father, the defendant himself, a school pupil, and the pupil’s mother.

The prosecutrix provided detailed testimony about multiple instances of sexual assault. She explained that during the COVID-19 lockdown and while attending home lessons, the defendant would instruct her brother to go outside to do homework. He would then follow her when she went to fetch water, where the assaults occurred.

She described how he would push her onto a chair in the parlour, remove her clothes and insert “his wee wee in her wee wee”, pointing to her private parts while giving testimony.

The prosecutrix testified that after the assaults, she would bleed, and the defendant would take her to the bathroom to clean her up. He would then threaten her, warning her not to tell anyone about the incidents.

The prosecutrix also described a specific incident at school, recalling that during the break time between 11:00 and 11:30 am, the defendant would ask her to meet him behind the toilet. There, he would lay her on the grass and have intercourse with her.

She provided a distinctive detail, stating that the defendant would use a red handkerchief to clean the blood that had come out afterward.

She further testified that she experienced pain and difficulty in sitting and walking after the incidents. When her mother noticed and inquired about her discomfort, she falsely blamed it on leaves in the compound scratching her.

The prosecutrix’s mother testified about discovering her daughter’s torn underwear and the eventual confession. She explained that when she noticed her daughter’s new underwear was frequently torn, she became concerned and tried to find out what had happened.

She revealed that the prosecutrix initially resisted disclosure, saying, “Mummy, if I tell you, will you beat me ?” before revealing the abuse.

According to the medical doctor, specific findings consistent with sexual abuse were documented, including a whitish discharge, an absent hymen, healed bruises, and inflammation in the prosecutrix’s genitalia. She explained that these findings indicated signs of blunt force trauma.

In his judgment, Justice Ramon Oshodi stated that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt the case of defilement.

“The prosecution counsel has been able to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecutrix testimony is supported, not only by medical evidence and her mother’s prompt reporting but also inadvertently corroborated by the defence witness’s admissions about the defendant’s unsupervised access. The defendant’s credibility was totally undermined by his first testimony and pattern of escalating fabrications, while the defence witnesses admitted bias or contradicting each other.”

He then found the defendant guilty, stating that the elements of defilement had been proven beyond doubt.

“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty of defilement contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law and convict him accordingly.”

Prosecution counsel, Okeowo, urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly.

“The convict who was a teacher to the survivor and entrusted with the prosecutrix and other students, took advantage of the survivor by having carnal knowledge of her on several occasions during break time and home lessons. The convict has failed the Nigerian Union of Teachers and failed the survivor and other students. We ask that he be sentenced according to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State and his name be registered as a sex offender and this be known to society that there is no tolerance for child abuse or molestation.”

Justice Ramon Oshodi subsequently sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment for defiling the girl.