Vital Witnesses

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Friday discharged and acquitted one Niyi Oyelami charged with defiling a nine-year-old daughter of his neighbour. Oyelami was charged by Lagos State on a count charge of defiling a minor, to which he pleaded not guilty. Delivering the judgment during a virtual court proceedings, the judge found the defendant not guilty as charged. Justice Ipaye said that the testimony of the two prosecution witnesses failed to establish that the accused actually committed the offence. She said the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond every reasonable doubt. Ipaye said that the failure of the prosecution to provide eyewitnesses even the victim to give evidence as whether it was the defendant who actually ruptured the hymen was fatal to it...