Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja S#xual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025 convicted and sentenced Francis Onwuzulike, a middle-aged man, to nine years and six months imprisonment for s#xually ass@ulting his neighbour’s 13-year-old son.
The convict was initially arraigned sometime in 2018, to which he had pleaded not guilty. The state counsel, Bukola Okeowo, commenced the trial, during which the survivor testified and was cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Mr Olanrewaju Ajanaku.
In his statement, the survivor told the court that when he was 13 years old, the convict, who was his neighbour sexu@lly abused him on three separate occasions. He further explained that the convict would send him on errands and, upon his return, lock his door before perpetrating acts of s#xual violence. The boy also told the court that the convict threatened to k!ll him if he disclosed to anyone what he did to him.
After his examination-in-chief, and cross-examination by Ajanaku, the survivor told the court that he suffered from constipation and other health complications due to the abuse.
However, Onwuzulike later approached the prosecution for a plea bargain agreement, and he was therefore re-arraigned on an amended three-count charge bordering on indecent treatment of a child, s#xual ass@ult, and indecent acts.
While delivering judgment, Justice Oshodi held that he was satisfied that the convict knew the nature of the offences to which he pleaded guilty. According to him, the convict was initially charged with s#xual ass@ult by penetration, an offence which attracts life imprisonment as punishment.
“Following the negotiations between the prosecution and your counsel, a plea agreement was reached, dated May 27, 2025, and having pleaded guilty to indecent treatment of a child, contrary to sections 135, 263, and 134, respectively.
Under the current charges to which you have pleaded guilty and been convicted, the prescribed punishments are as follows: count one, indecent treatment of a child: seven years imprisonment; count two, sexu@l ass@ult: three years imprisonment; and count three, indecent acts: two years imprisonment.
Accordingly, you are hereby sentenced to nine years and six months imprisonment, which shall commence from the date of your remand on September 12, 2018,” the court held
