The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Monday affirmed the 60 year jail term imposed on Adegboyega Adenekan, a former Supervisor of the Chrisland School, VGC, Lekki, Lagos convicted of defiling a two-year and 11-month old pupil (names withheld) of the school.
Justice Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court had on October 24, 2019 convicted and sentenced Adenekan to 60-years imprisonment for defiling the pupil of Chrisland School.
The court had found Adenekan guilty and convicted him of a one count charge of child defilement.
Not satisfied with his conviction, Adenekan had filed an appeal challenging his conviction and prayed the upper court to set aside his conviction by the lower court.
Delivering judgment on his appeal Monday, the three-man panel led by Justice Mohammad Garba unanimously affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
The panel of judges held that Adenekan’s appeal lacked merit and consequently dismissed the appeal.
Justice Nwaka while delivering judgment in the matter had said that Adenekan abused the trust of children in his care and the trust of their parents.
“This defendant is conscienceless, wicked, an animal and is not fit to walk the streets. I hereby sentence Adegboyega Adenekan to 60-years in prison this is the sentence of the court,” she said.
Following Adenekan’s sentencing, his defence counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe (SAN) however, filed an appeal challenging the validity of the entire judgment.
The prosecution for Lagos State Government led by Mr Jide Boye in their response to the appeal, maintained that Adenekan committed the offence and that the Sexual Offences Special Court was just in sentencing the convict.
Adenekan was arraigned before the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on January 29, 2018 and had plead not guilty to the lone count charge of defilement.
The prosecution led by Boye had alleged that Adenekan had defiled the toddler by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her, in contravention of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
During the trial at the Special Offences Court, seven witnesses including the pupil and her mother testified for the prosecution.
The prosecution closed its case on March 14, 2019.