Lagos man sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling minor

A Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced 41-year-old Idris Ashimiyu to life imprisonment for the defilement of an 11-year-old girl. Justice Abiola Sholadoye delivered the verdict after finding Ashimiyu guilty of a one-count charge of defilement.

The survivor testified that the sexual assaults occurred at her grandmother’s residence between December 2020 and January 2022. She stated that the convict, who performed errands and washed cars within their compound, repeatedly assaulted her until her grandmother discovered them and alerted neighbors.

During the trial, Ashimiyu pleaded not guilty, with his defense claiming he was merely “playing with the girl.” However, the judge ruled that the survivor’s testimony was credible and compelling, noting that a child of her age could not legally provide consent. Ashimiyu, a laborer who suffered a partial stroke while in custody, was convicted under the Criminal Law of Lagos State.