A 25-year-old Lagos teacher, Chukwunonso Okafor, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for sexually abusing a three-year-old girl at his workplace in Ikotun, Lagos State. The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court convicted Okafor on three counts: sexual assault by penetration, defilement, and indecent treatment of a child, with sentences to run concurrently.
Justice Abiola Soladoye, who presided over the case, ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt. On the first count, Okafor was sentenced to life imprisonment for inserting his penis into the victim’s vagina, an offense under Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. The second count, defilement, also attracted a life sentence under Section 137, while the third count carried a seven-year imprisonment term under Section 135.
The victim, who was present in court, testified that the teacher had sucked her breasts and penetrated her vagina. The judge described Okafor’s actions as barbaric and condemned him for descending so low as to have oral sex with a three-year-old child. The victim’s testimony was corroborated by the first prosecution witness, strengthening the case against the convict
The offenses reportedly occurred between July and December 2022 at Abaranje, Ikotun, where Okafor was employed. During the trial, the prosecution also revealed that Okafor forced the child to perform oral sex on him and physically abused her. The court declared Okafor a sex offender as part of the judgment.
Justice Soladoye sentenced Okafor to life imprisonment on the first two counts and seven years on the third count, with all sentences to run concurrently. The ruling sends a strong message against sexual offenses involving children and underscores the judicial system’s commitment to protecting vulnerable victims
