By Wale Igbintade:
Lagos State Special Offences Court yesterday sentenced a 52-year-old man, Akin Isaac, to 21 years imprisonment for defilement of his daughter.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo in her judgement sentenced Isaac to 21 years imprisonment following his plea of guilty to a one-count charge brought against him by the state government.
The convict was accused of sleeping with his daughter since she was six to 18 years.
The prosecution counsel, Mrs. Omowumi Bajulaye-Bishi, had told the court that “Isaac, who resides at No 2b Akinlagbe Street, Alapere, did defile his daughter from age six to 18 by having unlawful sexual intercourse with his daughter.”
His offence, according to the prosecution, is contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law Cap C.17 Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015.
However, while delivering judgment on the plea bargain agreement the convict signed with the state, the Judge said the 21 years proposed sentenced by the Ministry of Justice was too lenient to the offence which carried life imprisonment.
The Judge held that: “I knew this case very well; I could remember the survivor was crying when giving evidence before the court that she had abortion and how the defendant was beating her.
“The prosecution had called for witnesses to testified against the defendant. The defendant initially pleaded not guilty.”
Justice Taiwo, therefore, directed the registrar to put the defendant in the witness box to go through process of plea bargain, wherein he was asked whether he was forced or coerced by anybody whatsoever to change his plea from not guilty to guilty, Isaac answered that he decided to change his plea.
He started pleading with the court to have mercy on him.
The defendant, through his plea bargain application dated April 21, 2022, applied and concluded to change his plea.
Bajulaye-Bishi, therefore, reviewed the facts of the case. She said between 2014 and 2020, the defendant was having unlawful sexual intercourse with his daughter, which resulted in at least one pregnancy.
“The defendant also attempted to procure abortion for her and regularly administer drugs to her to prevent pregnancy.
“The trial commenced on February 7, 2022 in which the prosecution called four witnesses before the defendant approached the prosecution to change his plea.
“Having shown remorse for his action, he pleaded guilty to the offence of Indecent Treatment of a Child contrary to Section 135 of the Criminal Law Cap C.17 Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015.
“The defendant agreed to plead to the offence of defilement with a lesser sentence of 21 years.”
The court, therefore, admitted his plea of guilty and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment.
