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An Abeokuta High Court in Ogun State on Friday sentenced a 30-year-old man, Lekan Felix, to life imprisonment for abduction and having sex a 15-year-old girl seven years ago when he was 23 years old.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Abiodun Adeyemi convicted Felix on two counts of having sexual intercourse and the abduction of a child under 16 years.
The judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts.
He held that the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable and, therefore, he had to sentence Felix to life imprisonment.
However, the state prosecuting counsel, Mr Adekunle Sodeinde, said that Felix committed the offences on February 17, 2013 at Sango-Ota area of Ogun State.
According to the counsel, the convict unlawfully abducted a 15-year-old girl (names withheld) who was living with her elder sister.
He said that Felix took the girl to where her family members or anybody would not locate her whereabouts, and was having sexual intercourse with her for two years.
“The victim was sent on an errand by her elder sister on her way she met the convict who bought drink for her. After taking the drink she passed out, and few hours later on opening her eyes, she met herself at Felix’s house at Ijoko village in Owode-Egba.
“Felix took advantage of her by sexually abusing her and was using her to work as a labourer on his farm land for two years before she regained her senses,” he said.
Sodeinde, however, said that Felix confessed that he used charm on her so that she would not know where she was or think of going home.
He noted that the offences contravened Section 32 of the Child Rights Laws of Ogun and Section 362 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun 2006.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that as at the time of the incident, Felix was 23 years old, but at the time of his conviction, he was 30 years old.
-NAN
