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A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, on Tuesday, sentenced a 22-year-old baker, Lawal Kamoru, to 13 years imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old girl.
Justice Raliat Adebiyi found Kamoru guilty of the one count of defilement levelled against him by the state.
It was learnt that the convict and three others at large, had on February 1, 2014, gang-raped the victim inside an uncompleted building on Oluwanishola Street in the Ilaje, Bariga area of the state.
It was gathered that the victim and her younger sister were on their way home from a church vigil around 5.15am when they were accosted by four men, who ordered them to kneel down.
The victim had earlier told the court during her evidence that the convict was the leader of the gang.
She had stated, “I was returning from church with my younger sister around 5.15am when the men stopped us and ordered us to kneel down, but on sighting some people coming towards our direction, they immediately ordered us to get up and go, and when we stood up and walked away, they followed us quietly.
“The men followed behind while one of them flashed a torchlight. When we realised that they were still following us, we tried to run but they threatened to kill us.
“They told us to kneel down again and started beating us, then my sister started shouting. Then, one of the men stylishly chased my younger sister home, while the remaining three forced me into an uncompleted building and raped me. I remember the defendant very well. He was the first to rape me and the one who actually tore my pants.
“Kamoru was the first person to remove his trousers and the others took turns to rape me thereafter, including the one who drove my sister away. He also came back and joined them.”
She added that she woke up in the hospital after spending two days in coma.
Delivering her judgement, Justice Adebiyi considered the convict’s age and the age and vulnerability of the victim.
She noted that the age of the teenager and the psychological trauma experienced must be considered while sentencing the defendant.
“The defendant is hereby sentenced to 13 years in prison custody. The period spent in custody before the determination of this case shall be considered in carrying out the sentence,” she ruled.
