High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos State on Wednesday sentenced fashion designer, Ahmed Ayanyemi, to 21 years imprisonment for defiling his neighbour’s six-year-old daughter.
Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya convicted Ayanyemi after he entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution, the Lagos State Government, and pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of defilement.
Before pronouncing judgment, Justice Ogunsanya asked the defendant if he had children.
“Yes, my lord,” Ayanyemi said.
Judge: “Is any of them a female?
“Yes, my lord.
Judge: “How would you have felt if someone had done what you did to your daughter?”
“I would feel bad.”
Judge: “You see.
“I will only accept this plea bargain on one condition; that is as soon as you leave prison, you will never go back to that apartment and you will leave Lagos and go back to Modakeke where you came from, and in Modakeke you will never commit this crime again.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The convict’s jail term takes effect from November 19, 2016, when he was remanded in prison custody, the judge said.
Ayanyemi was first brought before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on October 26, 2016, on a two-count charge of having unlawful canal knowledge of the minor.
The police said the offence contravened Section 135(1) of the Criminal Law of Nigeria, 2011.
Ayanyemi pleaded not guilty.
Magistrate F. Ikobayo admitted him to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in the like sum.
The Lagos State Government transferred the case to the high court after receiving a Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) advice which indicted Ayanyemi.
The state re-arraigned him before Justice Ogunsanya on November 19, 2016.
Prosecuting Counsel Adebayo Haroun said Ayanyemi committed the offence at about 7pm, on October 25, 2016, at his residence No. 61 Kaka Zone II, Ayobo, Lagos.
The court heard that Ayanyemi, then 35, lured the minor into his room after putting on the generator and TV.
He then sexually defiled her.
“She was seen by her aunt as she came out of his room. Her aunt observed that she was walking funny and questioned her. After the minor narrated what happened, the matter was reported to the police who arrested the defendant,” Haroun told the court.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
The section reads: “Any person who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a child is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for life.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
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But soon after trial commenced, Ayanyemi, through his counsel, Mr I. Essien indicated his intention to change his plea and seek a plea bargain.
