For having unlawful sex with his 12 years old sister-in-law, a man, Chika Donatus Nneli aged 42, has been convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison for the offence of defilement.
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Sexual and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja handed him this judgement following a plea bargain agreement to the amended two-count charges of sexual assault.
The defendant, an importer was 37 years old when he perpetrated the crime against his sister-in-law, who lived with the couple on the promise that she would be enrolled in school, but that never happened.
Trouble began for the convict sometimes in April 2021 while the survivor was in the room with their baby while her aunty had gone to her salon for business.
Thereafter, the convict entered into the room, went straight to the survivor and touched her inappropriately.
Despite effort to resist him, he overpowered her and forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
The defendant also committed the act again when they travelled to the village for a burial ceremony.
During the survivor’s stay with the couple, she also suffered maltreatment which led her to run away from home on June 6, 2021.
Around 6:00 a.m the next day, a reporter found her outside the neighbourhood, whom she narrated her ordeal to.
Subsequently, the reporter reported the matter to the police station.
One of the charge read: Chika Donatus Nneli (m) sometime in April 2021 at Ogudu, Ojota Lagos State in Ikeja Judicial Division defiled one (name withheld) ( f) aged 12 years old by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
Handing down the verdict, Justice Oshodi said that he was satisfied that the convict understood the consequences of the offence he had pleaded guilty to.
During his arraignment, the convict was charged with offences which attracts life imprisonment.
However, following negotiations between the prosecution and his defence counsel, a plea agreement was reached dated April 16, 2026.
The State Prosecution Counsel, Bukola Okeowo submitted that the convict had paid N5,000,000 (five million naira) into the state judiciary account for the survivor’s rehabilitation and prayed that the survivor should be granted access to the money after the judgement.
She prayed the court to sentence the convict according to his plea bargain agreement.
She urged the court to register his name in the sex offender’s register.
The Defence Counsel, Chief Emefo Etudo told the court that while the convict was in the correctional centre, he learnt about cooking and operates a big restaurant in Ikoyi prison.
He submitted that the defendant solely pay N5m for the survivor’s rehabilitation from his business’ profit.
In delivering judgement, Justice Oshodi held that there is no amount of money that can compensate the harm done to the survivor.
“You are a grown man and you betrayed the trust she had for you as her guardian by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.”
The court thereafter convicted and sentenced Nneli to five years imprisonment on count 1, three years imprisonment on count 2 and the sentence shall run consecutively.
The sentencing shall commence from the day of his remand in April 6, 2021.
The court ordered that the survivor should have access to the N5m (five million naira) for her rehabilitation which is to be domiciled in Zenith Bank when she clocks the age of 18 as she is currently 17 years.
The court also ordered that the convict’s name be registered in the sex offender’s register.
