By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The trial of one Mr David Charles before the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, was concluded on Tuesday following his change of earlier plea of not guilty to guilty plea in an amended two counts charge of indecent treatment of a child and assault.
The defendant was subsequently convicted and sentenced to eight years imprisonment
by Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court.
A charge of defilement and indecent treatment of a child was preferred against Charles on July 28, 2021, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was arraigned.
According to the prosecution, on April 16, 2017, the defendant touched the lap of a 10-year-old girl with his penis and exposed her to pornography at No. 16, Aina Street, Shogunle, Oshodi, Lagos.
The prosecution submitted that the offences committed by the defendant were contrary to Sections 135, and 170 and punishable under Section 172 of the Criminal Law, C.17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution called witnesses and the defendant testified for himself before he opted for a plea bargain.
His charges were therefore amended to include indecent treatment of a child and assault. He pleaded guilty to the two counts and the court upheld his plea and convicted him as charged.
In his judgement, Justice Oshodi held that the court had carefully considered the facts of the case, the plea bargain agreement, and the provisions of the law.
Consequently, the court sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on count one and one-year imprisonment on count two.
The court held that the sentences shall run consecutively, going by the plea bargain agreement between both parties. Therefore, the total term of imprisonment shall be eight years.
“It is ordered that this sentence shall begin as of the date he was remanded, October 10, 2017. As a result, the time he’s already spent in custody will be taken into account.
“In the light of the nature of the offence in count one and by the relevant provision of Section 32 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021, this court orders that you, David Charles, be registered as a sex offender.”
