The 47 years old Supervisor of Chrisland School, Lagos, Adegboyega Adenekan, charged with a case of defiling a two-year and 11-month-old pupil of the school has been jailed.
He is to spend the next 60 years in prison.
The verdict was given on Thursday by the presiding judge of an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, Sybil Nwaka.
The court found him guilty of defiling the pupil, even as he pleaded not guilty.
Said the judge: “I hereby sentence Adegboyega Adenekan to 60 years imprisonment. This is the sentence of the court.”
The judge described Adenekan as not only wicked, but “conscienceless and an animal who is not worthy of walking on the streets of Lagos.”
Delivering her judgement, she said: “Schools should not cover up teachers who sexually abuse children. Parents should not be carried away by aesthetics of schools. This case may just be the tip of the iceberg as a lot of our children are suffering in silence.
“Parents should be bold enough to confront teachers and school management because a lot of our children are suffering in silence.
“I advise or recommend that the education and social welfare ministry workers should visit schools randomly to give them a check.”
The date for today’s verdict was announced on October 18 after prosecution counsel, Mr Babajide Boye, and defence counsel, Mrs M. Obifarinde, adopted their final written addresses.
Although Adenekan was said to have committed the offence in 2016, he was arraigned on January 29, 2018.
Seven witnesses, including the pupil and her mother, testified for the prosecution, which closed its case on March 14.
Defence provided five witnesses, including Adenekan and the head teacher of the nursery arm of Chrisland School located at the Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lagos.
The defence closed its case on June 26.
According to the prosecution, the defendant defiled the pupil by having sexual intercourse with her, in contravention of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, which provides for life sentence for child defilement.
