Esther Salifu
A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced a man, Bamidele Folorunsho, to 10 years imprisonment for indecently treating and sexually assaulting a minor. Folorunsho was found guilty of rubbing the victim’s anus and caressing her breasts with his hands, a crime that has left many shocked and outraged.
According to the court, Folorunsho was initially charged with defiling a 12-year-old girl in February 2018, but he pleaded not guilty. However, when the case came up on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, O. Aluko, revealed that Folorunsho had opted for a plea bargain. As a result, he was re-arraigned on two amended counts of indecent treatment and sexual assault ¹.
In a statement, Justice Rahman Oshodi said, “I have found you guilty based on your plea in the amended information dated December 11, 2024. I have carefully considered the plea bargain agreement and your show of remorse. I sentence you to 10 years imprisonment which will commence from March 22, 2018, and your name should be registered as a sex offender”
This sentence serves as a warning to those who would seek to harm or exploit minors. As the prosecution counsel noted, the offences committed by Folorunsho contravened Sections 135 and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. The court’s decision is a step towards justice for the victim and her family, and it is hoped that it will bring some measure of closure and healing.
