Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Thursday labelled Adegboyega Adenekan, a supervisor of Chrisland School, Lagos, found guilty of defiling a toddler an animal.
The judge who sentenced Adenekan, aged 47, to 60 years in prison, also said that he was wicked.
Adenekan was arraigned on January 29, 2018 on a count charge of defiling a two-year-old pupil of Chrisland School, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos State.
In a 2:15 hours judgment, Nwaka said that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She urged that schools should ensure due diligence while hiring teachers.
The judge held that Adenekan abused the trust of children in his care as well as the trust of their parents.
“Schools should not only be interested in economic gain but also the welfare of pupils. Schools should not cover up teachers who sexually abuse children.
“Parents should not be carried away by the aesthetics of schools.
“This case may just be the tip of the iceberg as a lot of our children are suffering in silence,” she said.
The judge advised parents to be bold enough to confront teachers and school management when necessary.
“A lot of our children are suffering in silence.
“I advise or recommend that the education and social welfare ministries should visit schools randomly to give them a check.
“This defendant is conscienceless, wicked, an animal and not fit to walk on the streets.
“I hereby sentence Adegboyega Adenekan to 60 years’ imprisonment; this is the sentence of the court.”
Before convicting Adenekan, Nwaka said that the pupil had high intelligence quotient and could give a vivid and consistent narration of how she was defiled by Adenekan while she was wearing her school uniform.
The judge noted that the child testified that she was defiled twice by Adenekan – once in his office and the second time in a hall.
Nwaka said that the essential ingredients to prove a charge of defilement was that the defendant had sexual intercourse with a child under 11 years and that there was vaginal penetration.
She noted that the evidence of defilement is the same as that of rape but said that, in defilement, it is immaterial if it was with or without the consent of the child.
