A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has sentenced a security guard, Emmanuel Buchi, to life imprisonment for raping a 37-year-old nurse at Greensprings School in Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki. Delivering judgment yesterday – the 28th of January, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution established the offences of rape and assault occasioning harm beyond reasonable doubt.
Both Buchi and the victim were staff members of the school, where the incident occurred on November 27, 2021, inside the clinic during a night shift. In his ruling, the judge described the defendant as a pathological liar whose defence failed under scrutiny, noting that he showed no remorse and maintained that the act was consensual despite strong evidence to the contrary. The court emphasized that life imprisonment for rape is mandatory under the law and reflects society’s firm condemnation of such offences.
Justice Oshodi further observed that the case was particularly troubling because the convict had been entrusted with safeguarding lives and property within the school. Instead, he abandoned his duty post, unlawfully entered the clinic, and assaulted the victim while she was alone on duty. The court found that he used force during the attack, restraining her and inflicting physical harm, including stepping on her legs with his boots.
Medical reports presented in court confirmed injuries, including discoloration around the victim’s eye and bruising, supporting her account. The court also relied on Buchi’s statement to the police, in which he admitted the victim told him to stop, though he later claimed he interpreted her resistance as consent. His assertion that the victim was his girlfriend was rejected as a fabricated defence inconsistent with his earlier statement.
The judge noted that the convict failed to grasp the seriousness of his actions or the lasting psychological and physical harm caused. Consequently, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and an additional three years for assault, with both sentences to run concurrently. The court also ordered that his name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.
The prosecution, led by Babajide Boye, presented three witnesses and several exhibits, while the defence relied solely on the testimony of the convict. The offences were said to violate Sections 173 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
