School Proprietor Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Sexually Assaulting 6-Year-Old Pupil

LAGOS, NIGERIA — The Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced Benson Arinze, a school proprietor, to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of a six-year-old pupil.

​Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Hon. Justice Abiola Soladoye found Arinze guilty of a one-count charge bordering on Sexual Assault by Penetration.

​The survivor was a pupil at Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School in Ibeju-Lekki, an institution owned by the convict.

The prosecution established that Arinze took advantage of the periods the young child stayed behind after school hours to perpetrate the abuse.

​The repeated assaults came to light after the survivor’s mother noticed unusual behavior from her daughter. Upon questioning, the child disclosed the ongoing abuse occurring within the school premises. The matter was subsequently reported to the Elemoro Police Station by the survivor’s father.

​In her judgment, Justice Soladoye held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. She dismissed the testimony of the defense witnesses, characterizing it as “merely self-serving” and failing to discredit the prosecution’s evidence.

​The offense was found to have contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, resulting in the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

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​Following his conviction, Arinze’s name will be officially registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register, in compliance with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) Law, 2021.