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Summary
41-year-old rapist Ezekiel Udoh has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl in Lagos.
Ezekiel Udoh, a 41-year-old car wash operator, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping and impregnating his neighbour’s 12-year-old granddaughter.
Ezekiel was prosecuted on Oct. 29, 2024, by Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court.
The perpetrator alleged that the survivor approached him for money after which he raped her as a sort of “exchange” for the money back in January 2020 at Amuwo Odofin, Mile 2 Estate in Lagos.
During the trial, the judge criticised Ezekiel’s attempts to downplay his actions, noting that his claim that the victim approached him for money revealed a disturbing lack of understanding of the severity of his crime.
“The law is clear that a child cannot consent to sexual activity,” Justice Rahman emphasised.
The State Prosecution Counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, presented three witnesses: the survivor, her grandmother, and a social worker. The judge affirmed that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, emphasising the profound impact of Ezekiel’s actions on the survivor.
“A child was forced to bear a child, forever altering the course of her life,” the judge said. “You showed a calculated and persistent pattern of abuse.”
The court stated that Ezekiel’s offences violated Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. Ezekiel was consequently sentenced under Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Violence Agency (DSVA) Law, 2021 and was registered by the court in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
“Justice has been served,” DSVA tweeted. “Let’s continuously break the culture of silence Report any case of Domestic or Sexual Violence by calling our Toll Free Line – 08000-333-333.