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Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has sentenced a paedophile, David Charles, to eight years imprisonment for assaulting and treating a 10-year-old minor indecently.
Justice Oshodi handed down the verdict after Charles pleaded guilty to the two-count amended charge brought against him by the Lagos State government on July 28, 2021.
The state had told the judge during trial that the defendant, on April 16, 2017, touched the lap of a 10-year-old girl with his penis and exposed her to pornography at 16 Aina Street, Shogunle, Oshodi, Lagos.
The prosecutor had insisted that the offences were contrary to sections 135 and 170 and punishable under section 172 of the Criminal Law, Ch, C.17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
During the trial, the prosecution called witnesses, and the defendant testified on his behalf before he later opted for a plea bargain.
In his judgment, Justice Oshodi noted that the court had carefully considered the facts of the case, the plea bargain agreement, and the provisions of the law.
He, therefore, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment on count one and one year on count two.
The court held that the sentences shall run consecutively by the plea bargain agreement between both parties. Therefore, the total term of imprisonment shall be eight years.
The court also ordered that the sentence begin as of the date he was remanded, October 10, 2017. As a result, the time he’s already spent in custody will be considered.
He said, “In the light of the nature of the offence in count one and by the relevant provision of section 32 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021, this court orders that you, David Charles, be registered as a sex offender.
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