IKEJA, Lagos State – May 20, 2026 – A Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a school proprietor, Benson Arinze, to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of a six-year-old pupil at his school in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday, convicting Arinze on a single count of sexual assault by penetration. The court also ordered that his name be registered in the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.
The victim was a kindergarten pupil at Nurtured Brooks Nursery and Primary School, a private institution owned by the convict. Testimony presented during the trial revealed that the child frequently remained on school premises after hours while awaiting her parents’ evening pick-up.
The abuse came to light when the victim’s mother observed a sudden, unexplained change in her daughter’s demeanor. Upon questioning, the child disclosed the assault. A formal complaint was lodged at the Elemoro Police Station, leading to Arinze’s arrest and prosecution.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Arinze maintained his innocence and entered a plea of not guilty, compelling the prosecution to present a full trial. The state called multiple witnesses, including the child survivor and her father, whose testimonies the court found credible.
In her ruling, Justice Soladoye declared that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.She dismissed the defence’s arguments as self-serving and lacking in evidentiary value.
A second defendant, Victor Ezenwata, a teacher at the same school, was initially charged alongside Arinze. Unlike the proprietor, Ezenwata entered into a plea bargain with the state, pleaded guilty to reduced charges, and was subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has since reiterated its commitment to prosecuting sexual offenses involving minors, describing the life sentence as a strong deterrent to other educators who might abuse positions of trust.
Arinze is to serve his sentence at a correctional facility in Lagos State.
