Two men, Chukwuka Odinaka and Ikechukwu Eze, were each sentenced to ten years in jail by Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court Judge Rahman Oshodi for sexually assaulting a sixteen-year-old boy.
After entering a guilty plea as part of a plea bargain, the defendants were found guilty on a two-count modified charge of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a minor. The Lagos State Government brought the lawsuit, which stems from an alleged 2020 event in which both males were charged with sexually abusing the youngster.
Odinaka and Eze entered not guilty pleas when they were first arraigned on November 23, 2022, on a single charge of sexual assault by penetration.
However, the prosecution produced strong evidence throughout the trial, including testimony from Jonathan Inalegwu Ounche, the victim’s brother and guardian, who helped identify the defendants and made it easier for them to be arrested.
After that, the victim was sent to the Women at Risk International Foundation, or WARIF, for a medical assessment. Okoi Oluchi, an organisation nurse, testified and provided a report by Dr. Makanjuola that verified physical injuries, like as bruising and abrasions, that were consistent with forced anal penetration.
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The defendants chose a plea deal through their attorney, Tolulope Banjo, in the face of overwhelming evidence. As a result, the court changed the first accusation, and both defendants acknowledged their guilt.
Justice Oshodi, upon verifying that the plea was made voluntarily and without coercion, convicted the two men. He sentenced each of them to seven years’ imprisonment for indecent treatment of a child and three years for sexual assault, to run consecutively.
The court ordered that their names be entered onto the national sex offenders register, reinforcing the Lagos judiciary’s commitment to justice and the protection of vulnerable persons.
