Landlord slapped with 2 life imprisonments for fingering tenant’s 2 children

Igwe Ambrose was found guilty of the offence by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court presided over by Justice Abiola Soladoye on Monday, November 20, 2023.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the victims were ages seven and 11.

The convict was charged with a four-count charge bordering on sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child, an offence which violated Sections 135 and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Justice Soladoye described Igwe Ambrose as a liar, adding that he fingered and touched the breasts of the victims and pretended to be helping them with their school homework.

“The children decided to open up to their mother, who then informed her husband; he thereafter confronted the defendant and the matter was reported to a police station.

“The police visited the scene and the defendant was invited to the police station where he denied the allegations against him.

“The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses (survivors) were credible, as they cannot consent to being fingered by the landlord.

“The defendant was identified as the assailant and their evidences were corroborated by their mother and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) who visited the crime scene and a clear account of the assault and indecent treatment was confirmed,” NAN quotes Justice Soladoye as saying.

Pronouncing the judgement, the judge said: “Counts one and two carry life imprisonment each; the defendant is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the count charges.

“In respect to counts three and four which carry seven years jail term, the defendant is hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the count charge.

“His name is to be entered in the Sexual Offences Register maintained by Lagos State Government.”

It is reported that Igwe Ambrose committed the offences that caused his life sentence between January and June 2021 at Shagari Estate, Ipaja, Lagos.