An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced a man, Onyeka Ubaka, to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a 16-year-old girl.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.
In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.
The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.
“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that during cross-examination, the victim shared an incriminating testimony evidence against the defendant. She described an incident where the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.
At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.
Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.
“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.
“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.
When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.
The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.
“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.
“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.
Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
“Onyeka Ubaka, I have found you guilty based on your plea to the amended information dated and filed November 25, 2024.
“The facts of this case are particularly disturbing, to engage in sexual relations with the victim who was merely 16-year-old in 2023. In one alarming incident, you took her to a bar and purchased yogurt for her consumption after which she lost consciousness and later found herself in a hotel room where you had sexual intercourse with her without her consent. This conduct resulted in a pregnancy and a child.
“I have considered the plea bargain agreement and the documents attached to it, marked as Exhibit B. It situates that your father shall be responsible for 30 per cent of the victim’s educational expenses through completing her first degree. Additionally, he shall maintain responsibility for the child’s upkeep up until eight years of age, an obligation that I note during sentencing, your parents have commenced fulfilling.
“However, taking into consideration your guilty plea, your demonstration of genuine remorse, your family’s commitment to the victim’s education and child welfare, and the fact that your parents have already commenced fulfilling these obligations shall reduce the sentence by 20 per cent which amounts to one year,” he said.
In his ruling, he noted, “Therefore, I sentence you to four years imprisonment, commencing on March 23, 2023, that is the date of your remand. Furthermore, under Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law 2021, you shall be registered as a sex offender.”
