A former music teacher in Lagos, Anthony Okeh, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old pupil at Lachez O International School, Agege.
Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court delivered the judgment on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Okeh, who also worked as a school counsellor, was convicted of having unlawful sexual intercourse with the minor—a charge the court found to be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), in a statement on Thursday, confirmed that the incident took place on September 6, 2022. The survivor’s mother had reported the case to the police, leading to Okeh’s arrest, trial, and eventual sentencing.
During the proceedings, state counsel Abimbola Abolade presented two witnesses—the survivor and the investigating police officer—while the defence called four witnesses.
Justice Soladoye described the 35-year-old defendant as a “pathological liar” and said:
“The defendant, by having unlawful sexual intercourse with his pupil, was everything a teacher should not be… a soulless man without any iota of shame.”
She added that his name will be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register. The court convicted him on a one-count charge of defilement.
In her final remarks, Justice Soladoye urged schools to uphold strict standards when hiring staff, stressing the importance of moral character in safeguarding students.
The Lagos DSVA encouraged residents to speak out against abuse and report cases of domestic or sexual violence through its toll-free helpline: 08000-333-333.
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