A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has handed a life sentence to a 50-year-old real estate agent, Harrison Ekeoma, for the rape of his 12-year-old housemaid. The ruling, delivered by Justice Rahman Oshodi, comes after a harrowing trial that exposed the betrayal of trust suffered by the young survivor.
The survivor’s mother had traveled from Enugu to Lagos in 2022 in search of a better life. After securing a job in the Ojodu Berger area but struggling with housing, she made the difficult decision to leave her daughter in the care of the defendant’s wife. The arrangement was intended to be beneficial; the young girl would assist with household chores, and in exchange, the family promised to sponsor her education.
However, the sanctuary promised to the child turned into a place of trauma. The prosecution established that whenever Ekeoma’s wife was away at her shop, the defendant would force the girl to watch explicit adult content with him. He would then coerce her into performing the acts they had seen on screen. These incidents took place around January 2023 at their residence in the Ogba area of Lagos.
During the proceedings, Justice Oshodi noted that he was fully convinced of the defendant’s guilt, stating that the prosecution had proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt. The court heard testimony from four witnesses and admitted several critical pieces of evidence, labeled as Exhibits A to B1, which corroborated the survivor’s account of the repeated abuse.
The conviction was carried out under Section 137 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, which carries a mandatory life sentence for the defilement of a minor. The judge emphasized that the evidence clearly showed the defendant had engaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with the child, violating both the law and the moral responsibility he owed to a minor under his roof.
This sentencing serves as a stern reminder of the judiciary’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children from domestic predators. The news has sparked conversations regarding the safety of children placed in domestic service and the need for stricter oversight in such guardian-ward arrangements.
