Stanley Mbadiwe, a convicted child abuser, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Lagos State.
Justice Rahmon Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court delivered the verdict on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, after Mbadiwe pleaded guilty to two amended charges brought by the Lagos State Government.
The case began in 2019 when Mbadiwe was initially charged with defilement, but he pleaded not guilty.
However, following a plea deal signed on October 10, 2024, Mbadiwe was re-arraigned on two counts of indecent treatment and sexual assault.
During the trial, the prosecution presented two witnesses – the victim’s mother and the victim herself – who testified that Mbadiwe forcibly raped the girl in May 2018. The prosecution argued that Mbadiwe’s actions contravened Sections 135 and 263 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
Justice Oshodi emphasized the severity of Mbadiwe’s crimes, stating,
“You sexually assaulted a nine-year-old girl, a vulnerable member of our society… Your reprehensible actions have inflicted long-lasting emotional and psychological trauma.”
Mbadiwe was also ordered to pay N1 million in compensation to the victim’s family, demonstrating some remorse.
The court sentenced Mbadiwe to seven years for indecent treatment and three years for sexual assault, to be served consecutively, totaling 10 years.
Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender, a designation that will follow him after release.
