Man jailed for life for impregnating sister-in-law
The Lagos Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, Ikeja, has sentenced a 38-year-old businessman, Ofure Siakpere, to life imprisonment for defiling and impregnating his 14-year-old niece-in-law.
Delivering judgement on the case on Wednesday, Justice Abiola Soladoye held that the defendant was guilty as charged.
She said, “The defendant maltreated the victim who is his wife’s niece, by defiling and impregnating her.
“The conduct of this so-called in-law is hurtful and demeaning. Where is the defendant’s humanity and moral compass?
“This case is a reflection of sexual 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 toe the line of sexual misconduct.
“The defendant, Ofure Siakpere, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment with no option of fine.
“His name shall also be registered in the Sex Offenders Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.”
According to the Judge, the offense defilement is contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The Judge further noted that the prosecution witnesses were “compelling and convincing,” hence the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
She also held that the evidence of the defence witnesses were however merely self-serving, shallow and full of fallacy.
Earlier during the trial, Funke Adegoke, Lead State Prosecutor, had told the court that the convict committed the offence on or about March 2018 at his residence in Salaudeen Imam Street, Lagos.
The prosecution had called two witnesses, the victim and a medical doctor, Dr. Aniekan Makanjuola, from Women at Risk International Foundation, to testify before the court.
