A 14-year-old rape victim (name withheld) developed the Human Immunodeficiency Virus after being defiled by a man known as Richard Saviour.
According to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, the offender was sentenced to life in prison by the Lagos High Court in Ikeja for defiling the victim, his wife’s niece.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala gave the decision on Tuesday.
“The judge stated that when the police took the victim to the Mirabel Centre, she was tested and found to be HIV positive.
The judge ruled that the evidence supplied by all prosecution witnesses was corroborated and accepted as true.
Justice Ogala stated that the victim’s testimony was supported by the Investigating Police Officer and a Social Worker from the state Ministry of Youth and Social Welfare.
According to her, these proved the convict’s defilement.
The judge stated, “The testimony presented in court illustrates the ‘evil’ inflicted on this young child and how she was abused both psychologically and physically by the defendant and his wife for years.
“Explaining how she ‘cried out’ for aid and was betrayed by those who were supposed to help.
“It is necessary to mention at this stage that the acts of the principal of PW2’s school and the social worker (PW3) are laudable because they eventually offered some succour and relief to PW2, who sadly has been permanently’scared’.
“Having carefully considered the entirety of facts before the court, it finds that in this instance, the prosecution has satisfactorily proved the one count information the defendant stands faced with.”
According to Ogala, the defendant’s demeanor indicated a desire to separate himself from the allegations by refuting the charges.
“In his testimony before the court, the defendant described how PW2 (the survivor) had fled to the police after fleeing his home to avoid a beating from his wife, only to be informed that PW2 had accused him of assaulting her.
“The court concludes that the defendant’s whole testimony in his defense, with no more witnesses called, is essentially a rejection of the charge.
“He offered no reliable explanations to the charge aside from attempts to depict PW2 as a stubborn girl and one who stole from himself and his wife,” she went on to say.
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