An Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced a man, Uchenna Izuka, to 15 years’ imprisonment for defiling a 12-year-old girl.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, in her judgment, held that the prosecution proved the charge against the convict.

Izuka was charged with defilement.

“The survivor testified that the defendant defiled her sometime in 2018 and 2019.

“The defendant dragged her into his room and had sex with her. On the second occasion, she was bleeding, but the defendant used tissue paper to clean her up.

“Medical examination also showed absence of the hymen.

“She said she was a virgin before the incident and that her father took her to the hospital for a check-up when he saw that she walking with difficulty,” Taiwo said.

The judge said though the defendant denied that he committed the offence, it was in the view of the court that it was an afterthought, as the defendant admitted to have called the survivor into his room and gave her money.

“In the light of the evidence before the court, I hereby find the defendant guilty as charged.

“The defendant is hereby sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine,” Taiwo added.

The state prosecution team, Mr Olakunle Ligali and Mrs Omowumi Bajulaye-Bishi, submitted that the defendant committed the offence in the Ajegunle area of Lagos.

They said the offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.