In a landmark decision on Monday, the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court handed down a double life sentence to 65-year-old Igwe Ambrose. The verdict was based on Ambrose’s egregious act of inserting his fingers into the private parts of his seven- and eleven-year-old tenants.
Justice Abiola Soladoye, presiding over the case, asserted that the prosecution successfully established Ambrose’s guilt on all four counts of sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child beyond a reasonable doubt. She described the defendant as a reprehensible individual who, under the guise of assisting the young victims with their schoolwork, engaged in inappropriate touching, including caressing their breasts.
Soladoye emphasized the unreliability and dishonesty of the defendant, as revealed in the survivors’ testimonies. The children bravely confided in their mother, leading to the involvement of the authorities. Upon confrontation, Ambrose vehemently denied the allegations when questioned by the police.
The court found Ambrose guilty of all charges, citing violations of Sections 135 and 261 of the Lagos State 2015 Criminal Laws. The prosecution, led by Mrs. Olufunke Adegoke, presented four key witnesses, including the survivors’ mother, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) who submitted crucial exhibits, and the two young victims.
The heinous acts occurred at Shagari Estate in Ipaja, Lagos, between January and June of 2021. The verdict reflects the court’s commitment to justice in cases of sexual offences against minors.
