Man sentenced to double life imprisonment for defiling neighbour’s children

In a landmark verdict delivered at the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday, a 45-year-old man, Paul Ndedigwe, has been handed a dual life sentence for the egregious act of defiling two young children, aged six and seven, belonging to his neighbor.

Justice Abiola Soladoye, presiding over the case, rendered her judgment asserting that the prosecution successfully substantiated two out of the three charges brought against Ndedigwe. Emphasizing the gravity of child defilement, she pronounced the prosecution had incontrovertibly proven counts one and two.

However, count three, also related to defilement, saw Ndedigwe being discharged and acquitted. Justice Soladoye cited the absence of the alleged survivor in court as a pivotal factor leading to the acquittal, underscoring the importance of witness testimony in such cases.

In her scathing characterization of Ndedigwe, Justice Soladoye described him as rough, irresponsible, and a force detrimental to destiny. The convict, who shared proximity with the young victims as their neighbor, was found guilty of engaging in sexual intercourse with both minors simultaneously and in each other’s presence.

Highlighting the distressing nature of the incidents, she noted, “When the survivors began to cry, he turned up the volume of his television set.” The judge commended the coherence, truthfulness, and steadfastness of the prosecution witnesses, ultimately leading to Ndedigwe’s conviction.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Soladoye proclaimed, “The defendant is hereby found guilty on count one and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is also found guilty on count two and sentenced to life imprisonment.” The judge ordered the concurrent execution of the sentences and directed the inclusion of the convict’s name in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

During the trial, Mrs. Olufunke Adegoke, representing Lagos State, presented three witnesses, while the convict solely testified in his defense. Adegoke asserted that the offense took place on November 19, 2021, on Ifelodun Street, Amukoko, Lagos State.