Popular Islamic Cleric Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Raping Minor
Justice H.O. Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Ikeja, on Monday, sentenced an Islamic cleric, Isah Mustapha, to life imprisonment for defiling an eight-year-old girl in the state.
The victim, in her testimony, said the convict had sexual relations with her at his home in 2017 when her mother sent her to run errands.
She recalled that Mustapha called her on her way back.
“When I was about to get to our apartment, the defendant called me back saying he wanted to send me to my mother to collect onions from her and bring them to him downstairs. So, I went upstairs to collect the onions, which my mother gave me to give to the defendant downstairs,” she added.
The eight-year-old explained that after delivering the goods to Mustapha and she was about to go home, the cleric called her back, saying he still hadn’t finished sending her on an errand.
“He said I had to go into his house, but I said no. Then I walked in so he wouldn’t tell my father that I disobeyed him. Then he told me to take my pants off, but I said no. Then he took it off himself and also his pants, then he slept on top of me. He put his private parts inside me and slept with me,” she said.
She noted that the incident became known to the public when her mother tried to collect her clothes to wash them and saw blood stains on her clothes.
However, Mustapha admitted to sending the victim on the errand, adding that he only inserted his finger in her private parts.
The defence counsel, M.O. Ifarinde, pleaded with Justice Oshodi to temper justice with mercy as her client was a first-time offender.
The judge, after considering the argument of the defence and the prosecuting counsel, sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment.
