By Oluwadamilola Akinduro
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A 40-year-old labourer, Peter Jude, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, for sexually assaulting his employer’s two-year-old baby.
The Magistrate, Mrs B.A Alphonso, convicted and sentenced Jude, after he pleaded guilty to the crime and begged the court for leniency.
Alphonso held: “Taking the prevalence of the offence, the court has to set an example to serve as a deterrent to others.
“ The defendant is hereby, sentenced to two calendar years with hard labour and he should be whipped for two days.”
The police had earlier arraigned the convict on one count of indecent sexual assault.
The prosecutor, Martins Olowofeso told the court that the defendant who is one of the labourers on the victim father’s farm, committed the offence on July 14, 2024, at Dele Ojo Camp, at Uso, Owo local government area.
Olowofeso said Jude indecently assaulted a two-year-old baby (name withheld), and in the process discharged semen in her vagina.
The offence contravenes Section 3(1) of the Ondo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibitions ) Law 2021.
In his plea, the convict admitted guilt and attributed his actions to the devil.
Giving the facts of the case, the prosecutor said the defendant was arrested after the victim reported the case to the police.
“ The mother of the victim detected that there fluid of semen on her baby’s vagina when he met the defendant on top of her.
“ The defendant was living with the victim’s father. He carried the baby to the room when she was asleep. He pulled down his shorts and tried to penetrate the vagina of the baby. But in the process discharged on her.
“ When arrested, the defendant was transferred to the Gender-Based Unit of the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), for thorough investigation where he was charged and cautioned.
“The baby was, thereafter, taken to the State Reference Hospital for medical check-up, where a report was issued and he was subsequently charged.
The prosecutor urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly, so as to serve as a lesson to other pedophiles.