An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced 25-year-old teacher Chukwunonso Okafor to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of defiling a three-year-old child.

Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday, convicting Okafor on three counts of sexual assault by penetration, defilement, and indecent treatment of a child.

In her ruling, Justice Soladoye stated that the prosecution had successfully proven all charges beyond reasonable doubt. The court heard compelling testimony from the survivor, who identified Okafor as the person who sexually assaulted her.

"You descended so low by having oral sex with a three-year-old baby. You are everything a teacher should not be, and you are barbaric," Justice Soladoye told the convict during sentencing.

The judge dismissed Okafor's attempts to deny the charges, describing him as a "pathological liar" whose defense did not hold water against the evidence presented.

Details of the Sentencing

The court handed down life imprisonment for the first count of sexual assault by penetration, life imprisonment for the second count of defilement, and seven years' imprisonment for the third count of indecent treatment of a child.

Justice Soladoye ordered that the sentences would run concurrently and directed that Okafor's name be added to the sex offenders register.

According to state counsel Mrs. Ibukun Ibikunle, the offenses were committed in December 2022 at Ajao Adedokun Street in Ikotun, Lagos. The prosecution presented evidence that Okafor forced the child to perform oral sex on him, flogged her, and inappropriately touched her.

The offenses violated Sections 135, 137, and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015, which address indecent treatment of a child, defilement, and sexual assault by penetration, respectively.

This case highlights ongoing concerns about child protection in educational settings and the importance of rigorous background checks for individuals working with children.