Lagos Music Teacher Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Defiling 9-Year-Old Pupil

35-year-old music teacher, Anthony Okeh, to life imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old pupil

In a landmark judgment, Justice Abiola Soladoye of the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sentenced 35-year-old music teacher Anthony Okeh to life imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old pupil at Lachez O International School in Agege, Lagos. The conviction, delivered on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, also mandates Okeh's registration in Lagos State’s Sexual Offenders Register.

Justice Soladoye condemned Okeh as a "pathological liar" and "everything a teacher should not be," describing him as a "soulless man without any iota of shame." The court found the prosecution’s evidence incontrovertible, proving beyond reasonable doubt that Okeh unlawfully penetrated the minor on September 6, 2022.

The case came to light after the survivor’s mother reported the crime to the police. During the trial, State Counsel Miss Abimbola Abolade presented two witnesses—the survivor and an investigative police officer—while the defense called four witnesses. Medical and testimonial evidence confirmed the defilement, leading to Okeh’s conviction under Section 137 of Lagos State’s Criminal Laws (2015).

Justice Soladoye urged school proprietors to prioritize moral integrity when hiring staff, warning that negligence could tarnish institutional reputations. The life sentence underscores Lagos State’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual violence against children.