Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday convicted and sentenced a man, Victor Dickson, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his neighbour’s six-month-old baby.

While delivering judgment, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the charge of sexual assault by penetration beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge said the circumstantial evidence presented before the court was compelling and clearly pointed to the convict’s guilt, noting that Dickson’s attempts to distance himself from the crime were unconvincing.

Oshodi observed that the convict lacked credibility, as his testimony in court contradicted his earlier statement to the police.

“In your extra-judicial statement, you admitted carrying the child but denied penetrating her. However, in your oral testimony before this court, you denied ever carrying the child and instead alleged that the child’s mother fabricated the accusation because you rejected her sexual advances,” the judge said.

He added that the convict showed no remorse and chose instead to fabricate allegations against the child’s mother.

The judge who held that the victim was extremely vulnerable recounted how the child’s mother testified that Dickson took the naked baby from her potty. At the same time, she was outside washing clothes, carried her into his room, shut the door, and assaulted her by inserting his finger in her vagina.

He said, “The victim in this case is an infant of six months old, among the most defenceless human beings in existence, and her mother testified before this court how you carried her naked child from her potty while she was washing clothes outside.”

“You betrayed the trust reposed in you. The child cried throughout but could not speak or call for help,” the judge said.

The court stressed the need to protect society and deter similar crimes, describing the act as “animalistic”.

“I hereby sentence you, Victor Dickson, to life imprisonment,” Oshodi ruled, adding that the convict would serve the term at a maximum-security custodial centre.

The court also ordered that Dickson be registered as a sex offender under Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021.

When the convict was arraigned on June 20, 2022, he pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him by the Lagos state government.

The court ordered that he should be remanded in a correctional centre until the commencement of the trial.

During the trial, state counsel Inumidun Solarin called three witnesses, including the child’s parents and an investigating police officer, ASP Folashade Akinbowa. The convict testified in his own defence.

The prosecution told the court that the offence occurred on October 17, 2021, at about 10:40 a.m. at No. 72 Iba Road, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, where the convict inserted his finger into the child’s vagina.

According to the prosecution, the offence committed contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.