Man behind bar
By Akeem Atoyebi
The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced an Arabic teacher, Oladosu Sakiru, to 21 jail term for attempting to sexually assault a 13-year-old female pupil.
The trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, jailed Sakiru following his guilty plea to the amended two counts of attempted sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
Oshodi, in his judgment, reprimanded the convict for breaching the trust the parents of the survivor had in him for enrolling their children in the Islamic school.
The judge held that the evidence before the court deduced a pattern of predatory behaviour as the convict subjected the survivor to inappropriate touching and forced himself on her.
The trial judge said that when the convict was confronted with his action, he sought refuge in the often-repeated phrase, “It was the work of the devil.”
Oshodi held that religious leaders, and teachers such as the convict, held a sacred place in society and when such individuals broke the trust placed in them by preying upon children, the court must respond with appropriate severity to reflect society’s condemnation and deter others from committing similar acts.
“As an imam and an Arabic school teacher, you occupy a position of significant trust, that trust extended not only to the 13-year-old child, the one you victimised but also to her parents and the entire community who look to you for spiritual and moral guidance.
“You betrayed this trust in the most deplorable manner,” he said.
However, the court sentenced Sakiru to 14 years imprisonment on count one and seven years jail term on count two.
Oshodi held that the jail terms should run consecutively and that the convict’s name should be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
