- By Olamide Olakanse
An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court yesterday sentenced 18-year-old Obisesan Saltan to 10 years’ imprisonment for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl (names withheld).
Justice Rahman Oshodi sentenced the convict to seven years for indecent treatment of a child and three years for sexual assault by penetration.
The incident occurred on October 11, 2023, about 9:30 p.m. at Gbagada area of Lagos.
Saltan was first arraigned on November 25, this year, where he pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him.
During the second hearing of charges, the prosecution witnesses testified against him to establish his guilt.
The convict later entered a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution.
During the third hearing on November 4, 2024, the prosecution Bukola Okeowo informed the court that the defence had entered into a plea bargain agreement.
During resumed proceedings, the terms of the plea bargain agreement were read to the defendant, and he confirmed that he understood and agreed to the consequences.
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Before sentencing, the convict, through his counsel, Adegboyega, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
Adegboeyega, also appealed for leniency, noting that the defendant’s father had suffered deeply, having lost his wife when Saltan was just a year old, and that the young man had begun learning shoemaking to better himself.
Prosecution counsel, Okeowo, however, urged the court to follow the plea bargain agreement strictly and apply Section 135 of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2015 while also writing Saltan’s name in the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register as required under sections 35 and 38 of the Sexual Offences law (2015 amendment).
Delivering judgment in the matter yesterday, Justice Oshodi sentenced Saltan to a total of 10 years.
The judge ordered that the sentences should run concurrently from the date of his arrest on October 11, 2023.
Justice Oshodi also ordered that the name of the convict be written in the register of sexual offenders.