Lagos lesson teacher who impregnated 14-year-old girl he was teaching bags life imprisonment

A lesson teacher identified as Joseph Ibanga has been sentenced to life imprisonment for defilement and impregnating a 14-year-old girl he was employed to teach.

The defendant who had no witness and spoke in his own defence at the trial, committed the offence between January and March 2019 at No.12, Iresi Street, Orile-Agege, Lagos.

Ibanga was reportedly hired to teach his victim at home because she was not in school “for a long time due to slow learning.”

He however raped the minor where she lived with her aunt whenever he went to teach her. She subsequently became pregnant and had a baby.

Ruling on the case on Monday, June 6, Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court said the prosecution proved the charge of defilement against the convict.

Soladoye added:

“The survivor was a minor and her consent is immaterial. The evidence before the court showed that the defendant had sex with the victim in her home and in the defendant’s own matrimonial home. She subsequently became pregnant and had a baby.

“The medical report corroborated the evidence against the defendant. The defendant is responsible for the act and there is evidence before the court to prove same.

“The survivor identified the defendant as her lesson teacher and the person who had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.

“The defendant is very ungrateful and wicked, ravished the student with impunity and taught her nonsense. Ibanga has brought ridicule to the teaching profession and this punishment will serve as a lesson to him and warning to others.

“The defendant is hereby found guilty as charged based on the avalanche of evidence against him, and he is sentenced to life imprisonment.”

The judge also ordered that the convict should have his name entered into the register of sexual offenders of Lagos State.