Lagos Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Assaulting Infant Neighbor

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Victor Dickson to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of his neighbor’s six-month-old daughter.

Delivering the judgment on Monday, April 13, 2026, the judge ruled that the prosecution successfully proved the charge of sexual assault by penetration beyond any reasonable doubt. The court found the circumstantial evidence compelling and dismissed the convict’s attempts to distance himself from the crime as entirely unconvincing and lacking in credibility.

The judge highlighted significant contradictions in the convict’s narrative, noting that Dickson’s testimony in court differed sharply from his initial statement to the police.

While he originally admitted to holding the child but denied the assault, he later claimed in court that he never touched the infant and alleged that the mother had fabricated the story after he rejected her romantic advances.

Justice Oshodi condemned these fabrications, noting that Dickson showed no remorse for his actions against an extremely vulnerable victim who was unable to speak or call for help.

The details presented during the trial revealed that the incident occurred in October 2021 at a residence in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. The child’s mother testified that Dickson took the naked infant from her potty while she was washing clothes nearby, carried her into his room, and shut the door to commit the assault.

During the proceedings, the state called three witnesses, including both parents and the investigating officer, to establish the timeline and nature of the injuries sustained by the infant.

In addition to the life sentence, which will be served at a maximum-security custodial center, the court mandated that Dickson be officially registered as a sex offender under the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law.

Justice Oshodi described the act as animalistic and emphasized that the severe sentence was necessary to protect the public and serve as a deterrent against the abuse of defenseless children.