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Man Acquitted of Sexual Assault Charges Due to Insufficient Evidence
A Lagos court has discharged and acquitted a man accused of sexually assaulting his four-year-old daughter, citing insufficient evidence and failure by the prosecution to present vital witnesses or material evidence.
The case, which centered on allegations of sexual assault by penetration, was dismissed after the judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The medical evidence alone, though troubling, cannot identify the perpetrator,” the judge stated.
They emphasized that the absence of direct testimony from the alleged survivor created an evidential gap that could not be bridged by hearsay or circumstantial evidence.
The court noted the importance of the principle of presumption of innocence, ruling, “It is better to let nine guilty persons escape than to wrongfully convict one innocent person.”
The judge also highlighted troubling inconsistencies in the defendant’s testimony but maintained that the burden of proof lay with the prosecution.
The prosecution, represented by Mr. Babajide Boye, presented two witnesses: a medical doctor and a police officer. However, their testimony, combined with circumstantial evidence, was deemed insufficient to secure a conviction.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred in December 2017 in the Adore, Ajah area of Lagos State. Following the court’s ruling, the defendant was discharged and acquitted.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid tribute to late Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, recalling his contributions to the creative industry and his impact on Nigeria’s cultural identity.
In his tribute, Tinubu described Jacobs as a giant of the Nigerian creative industry and said “He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.
“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity.”
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and consumer products in Nigeria.
Adeyanju also called for the removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, as well as the heads of other regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, from fake and substandard medicines to unsafe consumer goods, with reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open under the hot sun. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.”
Adeyanju also called out NAFDAC over what he described as failures in regulating the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in the country.
It can be noted that various counterfeit products continue to circulate in Nigerian markets, while NAFDAC has also reported seizures and destruction of counterfeit, expired and substandard products.
Lagosians have lamented heavy traffic caused by ongoing construction work at Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Federal Government announced that repairs on the damaged expansion joints at Kara Bridge would begin on September 8, 2026. The project, initially scheduled to begin in August, was delayed to allow further traffic management planning due to concerns over its impact on motorists.
Since work began, traffic around the Kara area has become heavy, with Lagosians sharing updates on social media about spending two hours or more on the road.
Some commuters say the delays have made their 9-to-5 routines difficult, with several hours spent travelling to and from work.
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