A herbal doctor identified as Sangosanya Boluwatife, in the Igbogbo Ikorudu area of Lagos State has been accused by a six-year-old of defiling her.
Justice Abiola Soladoye is ruling over Boluwatife’s case before the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court.
Boluwatife was arraigned before the court in September 2020 for defilement, which contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law, C.17 Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The charge read, “Sangosanya Boluwatife, on or about June 6, 2020, at Oreta, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos, in the Ikeja judicial division, defiled one (name withheld) aged six, by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.”
Boluwatife pleaded not guilty to the charge filed against him.
The prosecution presented two witnesses, who testified against Boluwatife.
The prosecuting counsel, A.R Abolade, during sitting on Monday led the victim through her account of the incident.
She said, “I stay with my grandma, but my mummy usually takes me to stay with the defendant.
“On a particular day when we were alone in the defendant’s apartment, there was no electric power and the defendant asked me to pull off my clothes and pants. He said that I would like what he was about to do to me and later, I couldn’t hear what he was saying as he was talking very low.
“He put his hand in my private parts and after a while, he asked me to go and have my bath. I didn’t tell my mummy when she came to pick me up afterwards, but I told my grandma and she informed my mum.”
The defence counsel, O.A. Lawal, while cross-examining the child, said, “Has anyone ever touched your private parts before and was it painful?”
The victim answered in the negative.
Lawal in his response to the victim’s reaction said, “That means you enjoyed it.”
Justice Soladoye objected to the question and urged the counsel to be sensitive.
Lawal asked again, “Did you like what the defendant did or shout while he did it to you?”
The victim again replied in the negative.
The judge adjourned further hearing till June 4, 2022