Security Guard Receives Life Sentence for Nurse's Rape at Lagos School

The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, has handed a life sentence to Emmanuel Buchi, a security guard, for the rape of a 37-year-old nurse in a school clinic.

According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), both Buchi and the nurse were employed at Greensprings School located in Awoyaya, Ibeju-Lekki, where the incident took place on November 27, 2021.

In delivering the verdict, Judge Rahman Oshodi stated that the prosecution had successfully established the charges of rape and assault against the defendant.

Describing Buchi as a pathological liar, Judge Oshodi asserted that his efforts to evade responsibility for the rape lacked credibility.

The judge also noted that Buchi exhibited no remorse for his actions, continuing to argue that the nurse had consented to the act. The court made it clear that the law mandates a life sentence for rape as a reflection of society’s strong opposition to such an offence.

Buchi’s case was deemed particularly troubling due to the circumstances surrounding the crime; he allegedly threatened the victim during the assault.

In his statement, Judge Oshodi emphasized that the victim's testimony, which was corroborated by two additional witnesses, was clear, credible, and persuasive, contrasting sharply with Buchi's unreliable and deceitful account.

“You were hired as a security guard to protect individuals and property at Greensprings School. Instead, you chose to attack the very person you were meant to protect by abandoning your post on that fateful night,” he remarked.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the accused used physical force against the nurse, restraining her and inflicting injuries that were confirmed by medical examinations.

During the proceedings, it was revealed that Buchi claimed the nurse, in a statement captured in a police report, had asked him to “leave.” Under cross- examination, he acknowledged interpreting her refusal as consent.

Furthermore, he falsely asserted that the nurse was his girlfriend, a claim contradicted by his prior statements to the police.

Judge Oshodi expressed concern over the psychological impact on the victim, stating that the effects of the assault extend beyond physical injuries, leaving lasting emotional scars.

As a result, the court sentenced Buchi to life imprisonment for rape and an additional three years for the assault, with both sentences to be served concurrently. His name will also be added to the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

NAN reports that the lead prosecutor, Babajide Boye, presented three witnesses that provided compelling evidence against Buchi, while the defendant was the only witness for his defense.

The victim recounted that she was approached by Buchi for vitamin C during her night shift at the clinic and that he returned shortly after, turned off the lights, and assaulted her.

The offences Buchi was convicted of violated Sections 173 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.