A 38-year-old businessman and Pastor, Ofure Rey Siakpere, was on Wednesday, January 19, sentenced to life imprisonment by an Ikeja Domestic V!olence and Sexual Offences Court for defiling and impregnating his 14-year-old in-law.
According to the lead state prosecutor, Mrs Funke Adegoke, the suspect committed the offence on or about March 2018 at his residence in Lagos. He was 35-years old when the offence was committed.
The survivor in her evidence said that she was overpowered and defiled on at least 15 occasions by the convict while living with him and his wife who was her aunt. She said that anytime she resisted his advances, he be#t her up. The survivor said that she became pregnant as a result of the ab#se. As at the time of her testimony in court, she had delivered a baby.The convict and his wife, Mrs Adebimpe Siakpere testified for the defence.
Siakpere in his testimony, denied the allegation, describing it as false. However, Justice Abiola Soladoye sentenced the suspect after finding him guilty of a charge of defilement contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. She said that the prosecution had proved every ingredient for the offence of defilement.She described the prosecution witnesses as “compelling”.
“The defendant m#ltreated the victim (his wife’s niece) by defiling her. The conduct of this so called in-law is h#rtful and demeaning. Where is the defendant’s humanity and moral compass? This case is a reflection of s*xual lawlessness that occurs within the family circle. The defendant must be duly sanctioned in the hope that this will serve as a deterrent to others to not tow the line of s*xual misconduct.
The defendant Ofure Siakpere, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine. His name shall also be registered in the S*x Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government,” she said.
