A Lagos court has sentenced Ndukwe Ogbu to 25 years in prison for sexually abusing his 14-year-old daughter.
The conviction was based on a three-count charge of defilement, sexual assault, and sexual assault by penetration. The court found Ogbu guilty after considering testimonies from the victim, a medical expert, and a social worker.
According to the court proceedings, the abuse started when the victim was 14 years old, and she eventually confided in her teacher, who reported the case to a social worker. The social worker, Femi Oyeleke, testified that he reported the case to the police after the teacher informed him.
The victim gave detailed testimony, identifying Ogbu as her father and recounting the abuse.
The court ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe noted that Ogbu showed no remorse, as his plea for leniency was based on having other children to care for.
The sentences for the three counts will run concurrently and take effect from December 2019, the date of Ogbu’s remand. The prosecution, led by the Lagos State Government, arraigned Ogbu in February 2021, and the trial began in October of the same year. The court’s decision brings closure to the victim and serves as a consequence for Ogbu’s actions.
