Idowu Fashola, a 70-year-old man, has recounted the hardship he endured after spending eight years in detention over allegations of child molestation, before being discharged and acquitted by the Lagos State Special Offences Court.
Pa Fashola was accused of sexually abusing a girl who had lived with his family from the age of three. Speaking after his release, he explained that the child was brought to his home by his wife for care and education and stayed with them until she reached secondary school age, after which she returned to her parents.
He described the devastating moment when police and family members accused him of rape, leading to a prolonged court case and years in custody. In tears, he recounted how the ordeal impacted his life.
The Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development (FPILD), a nonprofit organisation advocating for justice, successfully secured Pa Fashola’s discharge and acquittal. On December 1, 2025, Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja dismissed the one-count defilement charge, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Pa Fashola was first arraigned in February 2020 before Justice S.O. Nwaka (now a Court of Appeal Justice) and later re-arraigned in November 2021 before Justice Oshodi, where he consistently pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses, citing a neighbour’s report and investigations by the Community for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR). However, the court found that the alleged victim did not give first-hand testimony and failed to identify her supposed assailant, creating a critical gap in evidence. Justice Oshodi concluded that the prosecution had no credible case and formally discharged and acquitted Pa Fashola.
Pa Fashola hails from Lagelu Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, and has expressed gratitude for the support he received during the long legal battle. He emphasized that he had been falsely accused and is relieved to finally clear his name.
Watch the full interview with Pa Fashola following his release below.