The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Home Violence Court docket, on Monday, arraigned and sentenced on an amended cost, a pair, Ezimora Okechukwu, a 49-year-old, to seven years and three years consecutively for indecent dealing with and sexual assault, and his spouse, Ezimora Obioma, to at least one 12 months of group service for concealing the act of sexual assault accomplished to their housemaid.
In response to the prosecution counsel, the offences dedicated by the couple contravene Part 135 (1), 163 and 415 of the Prison Legislation of Lagos State.
The court docket heard that the incident occurred on July 17, 2022, in the home of the convicts, within the Abule-Osun space of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the sufferer, a 15-year-old housemaid on the time of the incident, was indecently dealt with, touched and sexually assaulted by Okechukwu. The sufferer reported the heinous act to Obioma who hid the incident and didn’t report it to the authorities.
Their amended cost learn, “Felony opposite to Part 135(1) of the Prison Legislation of Lagos State, 2015. Did you, Ezimora Okechukwu, on July 17, 2022, at No 9, Block 19, Divine Top Avenue, Abule Osun, Lagos State, indecently deal with a sufferer, a 15-year-old, by caressing her breast?”
“Sexual assault opposite to Part 163 of the Prison Legislation of Lagos State. Did you Ezimora Okechukwu sexually assault the sufferer?”
“Accent after the very fact of felony opposite to Part 415 of the Prison Legislation of Lagos State. Did you Ezimora Obioma, fail to inform police when the sufferer age 15 years, reported to you that one Ezimora Okechukwu had sexual activity together with her.”
Each defendants pleaded responsible to the fees.
PUNC Metro reviews that the primary defendant’s cost, which was, “Defilement opposite to Part 137 of the Prison Legislation of Lagos State 2015, was lowered after he utilized for a plea cut price via his counsel. He and his spouse have been then granted a lesser cost and sentence.
The prosecution counsel attested to this saying, “The Honourable Lawyer Common thought-about the request on the grounds that the defendants confirmed regret for his or her actions, have been first-time offenders with no earlier convictions and the influence of the conviction on the second defendant and her 4 younger kids.”
He additional acknowledged, “The Lawyer Common then accepted that the 2nd defendant be sentenced to a conditional discharge of one-year group service.”
Delivering his judgment, Justice Ramon Oshodi held that the act dedicated by the couple was heinous.
“The primary defendant stands accused of a heinous act, the defilement of a susceptible housemaid who discovered shelter beneath his roof. The second defendant, fairly than being a protector or in search of justice, the second defendant is alleged to have turn out to be an confederate in silence and an adjunct, she stands accused of disregarding the sufferer’s proper by concealing the alleged crime even after the prevalence. These allegations paint an image of the horror of abuse of energy and ethical failure difficult our society’s most elementary precept of care and belief,” he held.
He then sentenced the primary defendant, Okechukwu, to seven years for indecent dealing with and three years for sexually assaulting the sufferer, each sentences would run concurrently, and in addition sentenced Obioma to at least one 12 months of group service.