Court jails cleric 53 years for sexually assaulting 14-year-old daughter

The Lagos State Sexual Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, has convicted and sentenced Ndukwe Ogbu, a 45-year-old pastor, to 53 years imprisonment for defiling and sexually assaulting his 14-year-old daughter by penetration.

Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt all the elements of the charges against Ogbu.

During sentencing on Monday, the judge held, “The evidence presented leaves no room for doubt. The convict’s actions are reprehensible, and justice must be served.”

The judge noted the convict’s lack of remorse and not being apologetic for the crime he committed against his daughter, when he prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and told the court that he had other children to take care of.

The judge found the cleric guilty of the three counts brought against him by the Lagos State government.

The state had filed three counts against Ogbu, bordering on sexual assault, sexual assault by penetration, and defilement of a 14-year-old girl.

Ogbu was arraigned sometime in February 2021, and the trial began on October 18, 2021.

The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered exhibits during the prosecution. The first prosecution witness was a social worker, Femi Oyeleke, who reported the case to the police.

The second prosecution witness was the victim of the alleged sexual offences, while the doctor who examined the girl testified against the convict.

The victim in her testimony identified the convict as her father and narrated to Justice Abike-Fadipe that she was 14 years old when the incident started.

While describing the abuse in her testimony, she told the court that her father would come into her room naked, remove her clothes, and force himself on her.

She said he threatened her not to tell anyone.

“He would come into my room naked, remove my clothes, and force himself on me. He threatened me not to tell anyone.”

The victim also explained how she confided in her schoolteacher, who then alerted the social worker and the social worker, in turn, reported to the police.

The doctor who examined her also testified, corroborating her account.

She told the court that her father had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions and threatened her not to tell anybody.

In his defence, Ogbu denied the allegations, claiming, “I was not at home when these things happened.” He admitted living with the victim in a two-bedroom apartment but insisted she was mentally unstable and forgetful.

The convict also confirmed that he lost his wife when the children were small and that the other children live in the village with their maternal grandmother, but it’s been a long time since he spoke to them.

However, while delivering the judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the testimony of the doctor and the social worker corroborated the testimony of the victim.

“The victim was 15 years old when the alleged offence was committed. Exhibit P1 states the age of the witness, and the failure of the defence to cross-examine the witness as regards the age of the victim.

The judge, therefore, found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to three years on count one.

He was also sentenced to 25 years on count two and another 25 years on count three, totalling 53 years of imprisonment to run concurrently.

She ordered that the prison term should begin from December 2019, when he was first remanded in prison.