An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Thursday sentenced a man, Babatunde Sulaimon to 14 years imprisonment for an attempted sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl, (name withheld).
Justice Rahman Oshodi sentenced Sulaimon to 14 years jail term, following his plea bargain agreement to the amended one-count charge of attempted sexual by penetration, brought against him by the Lagos State Government.
Sulaimon, with five others (still at large), had on Nov. 30, 2019, about 11.00 p.m. had unlawful sexual intercourse with the 16- year- old in an uncompleted building, on Taiwo Olemoton street, Owutu Agric in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The survivor, a sales rep, was gang raped by the 6 men, on her way to buy food for her employer.
The police patrol team arrested Babatunde while the other five accomplices took to their heels.
Sulaimon, had pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge of sexual assault by penetration when he was initially arraigned on Nov. 30, 2019.
However, he took a u-turn and and opted for a plea bargain agreement which necessitated the amended charge.
The State Counsel, Ms Bukola Okeowo, thereafter informed the court of the plea bargain agreement dated July 10, 2025, urged the court to come convict Sulaimon and sentence him accordingly.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, while delivering the judgment, held that he was satisfied the convict understood the nature of the offence pleaded guilty to.
Oshodi said that the convict was initially charged with sexual assault by penetration which carried a mandatory life term imprisonment.
He said: “However, through the plea bargain process, you have pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted sexual assault by penetration, under Section 262, which carries a maximum sentence of 14. years’ imprisonment.
“I have considered your plea for mercy by your counsel and I have also considered the prosecution’s submissions regarding the physiological trauma of the victim and I cannot ignore it.
“Consequently, I hereby sentence you to 14 years imprisonment which shall start counting from Dec.12, 2019, the date of your remand.
“You shall also have your name registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.”
Earlier, Sulaimon’s lawyer had in his allocutus (plea of mercy), prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and that the convict was a first time offender.
The prosecutor, Okeowo, however, urged the court to convict Sulaimon accordingly.
According to her, the convict’s inhumane act had caused a physiological trauma to the survivor.
“My lord, this will serve as detternt to other sexual perpetrators out there that Lagos State Government frowns at any form of sexual abuse.
“We urge your lordship to sentence the convict accordingly,” Okeowo had said.
According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes Section 262 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
