By Goodseed Friday
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced school proprietor, Benson Arinze, to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting and defiling a six-year-old pupil under his care.
The judgment, widely described as a landmark ruling against child sexual abuse, followed the court’s finding that the defendant was guilty beyond reasonable doubt after a lengthy trial.
The court held that Arinze abused his position of authority and betrayed the trust placed in him by the victim’s family.
In addition to the life sentence, Justice Soladoye ordered that the convict’s name be permanently entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register, a database created to identify and monitor convicted sex offenders across the state.
During the proceedings, prosecutors presented medical, forensic, and circumstantial evidence, alongside emotional testimony from the young victim.
Medical reports tendered before the court reportedly confirmed severe physical and psychological trauma suffered by the child.
Delivering judgment, Justice Soladoye said:
“The defendant acted without human empathy or moral conscience,”
The court also held that the sentence should serve as a strong warning that offenders who prey on vulnerable children will face the full weight of the law.
The ruling triggered emotional scenes inside the courtroom, with relatives of the victim shedding tears of relief after the judgment. Child rights groups and civil society organizations praised the verdict, describing it as a major victory for the protection of minors and a sign that Lagos State’s specialized domestic violence courts are strengthening justice delivery.
Legal analysts also believe the conviction could encourage more families to speak out against child abuse while renewing calls for stricter background checks and oversight of private school operators across Nigeria.
