* Wooden Justice Gavel and Scales. Vector * Source : 123RF.com
A Lagos based farmer, Yesiru Onajobi, who was accused of raping and impregnated his 14 years old daughter, was today convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court, Lagos
The presiding judge, Justice Sule Hassan, convicted and sentence the farmer after holding that the prosecution has successful proved the charges of rape and unlawful canal knowledge made against the farmer.
Yesiru, was first arraigned before the court by the National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on July 18, 2013.
The offences according to NAPTIP are contrary the provisions of Sections 13 (1) and 18 (a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement Act 2003
In sentencing the man today, Justice Hassan held: “the prosecution has been able to established the charges against the defendant.
“I have also listened to the plea of allocutor made by the defendant’s counsel, though, she did not say much.
“The offences that the defendant is charged with is a very serious one, consequently, I hereby sentenced you, Yesiru Onajobi to 10 years imprisonment on each counts without option of fine.
“The terms of imprisonment according to the judge to run concurrently. However, the period spent in custody be deducted from the jail terms”
The accused, Yesiru Onajobi, living at Bogije Street, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State, was first arraigned on July 8, 2013 on a two-count charge of unlawfully having carnal knowledge of his teenage daughter.
He was arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Person, NAPTIP.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The trial judge, then Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, ordered the accused to be remanded at the Ikoyi prisons and consequently adjourned the trial till October 21,2013 for hearing of the bail application of the accused, and a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.
It would be recalled that the accused was first arraigned before retired Justice Benedicta Molokwu of the Federal High Court, sometime in September 2012. The case was, however, re-assigned to a new judge following the retirement of the judge.
The Prosecutor said after the death of the convict’s wife, the accused had engaged in the habit of sexually harassing his only daughter, alleging that the accused intimidated and forcefully had carnal knowledge of the teenager, who became pregnant.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes sections 13 (1) and 18 (a) of the Trafficking in Person (Prohibition) Law Enforcement Act 2003.
