72-year-old security guard gets life imprisonment for defiling neighbor’s daughter

Judge Abiola Soladoye of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, sentenced 72-year-old David Jackson to life in prison on Monday for defiling his neighbor's seven-year-old daughter.

The judge found that the prosecution had shown the three elements of defilement against the elderly security guard beyond a reasonable doubt, and she condemned the man.

The victim was seven years old at the time of the assault, according to Soladoye's ruling, but she was eight years old when she gave a statement to the court identifying Jackson as the gateman of one of the homes on her street.

She stated, "This day, a survivor's brother sent her on an errand, and when she passed and greeted the convict, Jackson, he dragged her inside the room and she shouted but he used his handkerchief to cover her mouth.
Under cross-examination, the survivor's testimony was lucid, unambiguous, and consistent.

"A teacher who recognised the survivor as a student testified as the second prosecution witness. She said that one of her classmates had told her that the survivor was acting funny and that she didn't feel well.

"The teacher testified that she conducted an investigation and found out that the victim had been sexually assaulted and was complaining of pains in her private areas."

Judge Soladoye added that the survivor's parents were invited by the teacher, but they did not show up. As a result, she reported the incident, and the survivor was taken to the Mirabel Medical Centre in Ikeja. She also mentioned that the medical report from the centre was forwarded to the police.
The judge also determined that the survivor's father's testimony was reliable and supported the accounts of the other two prosecution witnesses.

She pointed out that the prisoner's attempts to downplay the accusation were ineffective.

The judge declared, "The father of the witness who gave evidence described Jackson as a security guard in his neighbourhood and stated that he was with his wife, who was hospitalised due to illness, at the time of the occurrence.

"The prosecution established Jackson's defilement case through the witnesses' credible, persuasive, and compelling testimony.

"The survivor appeared in court as a youngster in order to give her testimony. Second, Jackson engaged in sexual activity with her without getting her permission as the survivor is a minor.”
The judge ruled that Jackson was guilty of defiling a seven-year-old child in violation of Section 137 of the Lagos State 2015 Criminal Laws and that he would be sentenced to life in prison.

She also mandated that the convict's name be entered on the Lagos State Government's Sexual Offences Register.

During the trial, the convict was the only witness to testify; the state's attorney for prosecution, Ms. Abimbola Abolade, brought three witnesses.

According to Abolade, the defendant committed the crime on May 16, 2022, at Oyedele Close, Ojodu, in Lagos State's Berger neighbourhood.