A 26-year-old carpenter, Tayo Akinboyewa has bagged life imprisonment for having unlawful sexual intercourse with his neighbour’s 12-year-old primary school pupil.

Akinboyewa was convicted and sentenced by Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Tuesday.

The judge said he was satisfied that the prosecutrix (victim)’s testimony that Akinboyewa had sexual intercourse with her was corroborated by the medical report.

He said that the prosecution had proved the charge of defilement against Akinboyewa.

According to him, there was abundant evidence that the convict (Akinboyewa) had sexual intercourse with the victim, who, to his knowledge, was a child and the victim gave a direct eyewitness account.

He further said that the convict confessed in exhibit G (Statement made at the police station), that he had sexual intercourse with the victim twice, which the medical report and Akinboyewa’s confessional statement corroborated the victim’s.

The judge held that the evidence and testimony of the victim’s mother and the Investigative Police Officer linked Akinboyewa to the crime.

However, Oshodi rejected the evidence of the convict and used his confessional statement.

He said: “The prosecutrix, in her evidence, said that the convict, who both stayed on the same street in Oshodi, came to her house to borrow a fetcher to draw water in her house and in the process, used the rope of the fetcher to draw her closer and forcefully had sex with her in the backyard.

“She narrated that the first occasion was in December 2020 while the second time when he came to her mother’s shop near the canal and had sex with her was January 2021.

“Outside Akinboyewa confessional statement, I have looked for other credible evidence that the convict had sex with her.”

The judge further said the convict used to fetch water from the prosecutrix’s house, and used to borrow fetcher as well as visit her mother’s shop near the canal.

He said the convict’s confessional statement satisfied all the legal requirements of a confessional statement, as it was “a direct, positive and unequivocal narration of the events that took place straight from the horse’s mouth.”