Adebisi Onanuga
The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Monday affirmed the 60 year jail term imposed on Adegboyega Adenekan, a former Supervisor of the Chrisland School, VGC, Lekki, Lagos convicted of defiling a two-year and 11-month old pupil (names withheld) of the school.
Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court had on October 24, 2019 convicted and sentenced Adenekan to 60-years imprisonment for defiling the pupil of Chrisland School.
The court had found Adenekan guilty and convicted him of a one count charge of child defilement.
Not satisfied with his conviction, Adenekan had filed an appeal challenging his conviction and prayed the upper court to set aside his conviction by the lower court.
Delivering judgment on his appeal Monday, the three-man panel led by Justice Mohammad Garba unanimously affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
The panel of judges held that Adenekan’s appeal lacked merit and consequently dismissed the appeal.
Justice Nwaka while delivering judgment in the matter had said that Adenekan abused the trust of children in his care and the trust of their parents.
“This defendant is conscienceless, wicked, an animal and is not fit to walk the streets. I hereby sentence Adegboyega Adenekan to 60-years in prison this is the sentence of the court,” she said.
Following Adenekan’s sentencing, his defence counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN) however, filed an appeal challenging the validity of the entire judgment.
The prosecution for Lagos State Government led by Mr Jide Boye in their response to the appeal, maintained that Adenekan committed the offence and that the Sexual Offences Special Court was just in sentencing the convict.
Adenekan was arraigned before the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on January 29, 2018 and had plead not guilty to the lone count charge of defilement.
The prosecution led by Boye had alleged that Adenekan had defiled the toddler by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her, in contravention of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
During the trial at the Special Offences Court, seven witnesses including the pupil and her mother testified for the prosecution.
The prosecution closed its case on March 14, 2019.
Five witnesses, including Adenekan and the head teacher of the nursery arm of the Chrisland School, testified for defence.
The defence closed its case at the High Court on June 26, 2019.
The pupil who was four-years old when she testified on March 22, 2018, had narrated to the court how Adenekan had defiled her.
“He put his mouth in my wee-wee, the first time he did that, he took me out of the class, the second time, I ran.
“I tried to report to my teacher but my teacher did not believe me, so I reported to my mummy.
“First time he did it was inside his office which was the toilet, the second time he did it was in the hall which was outside.
“I did not like what he did, he put his hand in my wee-wee, he put his wee-wee in my wee-wee and he put his mouth in my wee-wee,” the pupil had then told the court. (The NATION)
