A Lagos State teacher, David Oddion, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of an eight-year-old pupil at Hilltop Grade International School, Lekki. Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court delivered the judgment on Monday, convicting Oddion on two counts of sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
The court heard that the convict, a Social Studies teacher, isolated the victim after school under the guise of correcting exam scripts. He then proceeded to sexually assault her. The abuse came to light when the child told her mother her teacher was “weird,” revealing he had touched her private parts multiple times.
During the trial, the prosecution presented overwhelming evidence, including the teacher’s confession to the school head after initially denying the allegations. A medical doctor also testified, confirming the assault.
Justice Oshodi, in his ruling, emphasized the gross breach of trust by the defendant, who was in a position of mentorship. “Parents entrust their children to teachers and such a gross violation of trust was unacceptable,” the judge stated, noting the convict showed no remorse.
The defense counsel’s plea for leniency, citing Oddion as a first-time offender and a student, was rejected. The judge ordered that the convict’s name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register. The life sentence for sexual assault will run concurrently with a seven-year term for indecent treatment, both starting from his arrest date in February 2021.
#Lagos #Justice #SexualAssault #Teacher #Crime #Nigeria #Court #ChildProtection