The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Idris Ashimiyu to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of defiling an 11-year-old girl in Lagos.
Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, following a trial in which Ashimiyu was convicted on a one-count charge of defilement. The defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charge filed by the Lagos State Government.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by A.A. Adeniyi, called one witness — the survivor, who testified that she was 11 years old when the incident occurred and 13 at the time she appeared before the court.
The survivor told the court that she knew Ashimiyu, who reportedly helped run errands and wash cars within their compound. She recounted that he approached her while she was outside, began touching her inappropriately and subsequently sexually assaulted her.
According to her testimony, her grandmother discovered what had happened after searching for her and finding her with the defendant. The court also heard that Ashimiyu was beaten before being taken to the police station.
In his defence, Ashimiyu’s counsel, A.O. Ayode, called a witness identified as Ibrahim. He told the court that he was not present when the incident occurred because he had gone to work and only learnt about it from a neighbour.
Ibrahim further testified that Ashimiyu had told him he did not assault the child but was merely playing with her.
In her assessment of the evidence, Justice Soladoye said she had carefully considered the testimonies and other evidence presented before the court, including the survivor’s age, the consistency of her account and the question of consent.
The judge ruled that the survivor’s testimony was credible and consistent, adding that the prosecution had established that she was a child and had not consented to the sexual act.
