Justice Abiola Soladoye of a Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced a school proprietor, Benson Arinze to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old pupil
The judge sentenced Arinze yesterday after the court found him guilty as charged by the state government, reports The Guardian.
He was charged on a one-count allegation bordering on defilement of a minor.
The survivor was a pupil of Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School, Ibeju Lekki where Arinze was the proprietor in 2022.
The survivor was said to have usually stayed behind after school when her parents were yet to come and pick her. Shortly after, the convict and one of the teachers started sexually assaulting the survivor.
The proprietor was accused of inserting his finger in her vagina while the teacher was robbing his penis on her vagina.
When the survivor’s mother noticed some weird behaviour from her daughter, she interrogated her and she told her everything the convicts had been doing to her in school.
The survivor’s father then reported the matter at Elemoro Police Station.
Arinze was initially charged along with one of his teachers, Victor Uche Ezenwata for allegation of sexual assault by penetration of a six years old minor.
His offence is contrary to Section 261of the Criminal Law C17, Vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015.
Ezenwata was charged with three counts charge bordering on sexual assault by penetration, unlawful sexual intercourse and indecent treatment of a child, the offence contrary to section 135 of Criminal Law C17, Law of Lagos State
Subsequently, Ezenwata applied for plea bargain through his counsel, Spurgeon Ataene and an amended charge dated May 27, 2025 was read to him and he pleaded guilty.
He was thereafter convicted and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
The first defendant, Arinze maintained that he was innocent of the offence and the trial commenced.
During trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr O.E Adeoye called witnesses among which was the survivor and her father, (PW1 and PW2).
However, while delivering judgment, the judge held that the testimonies of PW1 and PW2 were clear and compelling. He said that they provided sufficient evidence against the defendant beyond reasonable any doubt. She held that “the evidence of the defence witnesses were self serving.”
The court therefore sentenced Arinze to life imprisonment, ordered that his name be registered in the Sexual Offence Register as maintained by the Lagos State Government.
