A man identified as Ita Okon has been sentenced to life in prison by a family court in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, for raping a minor, News About Nigeria reports.
The judgement was delivered by Justice Blessing Egwu on Wednesday after finding the suspect guilty of the crime.
The judge also ordered the 47-year-old convict to pay the sum of N1 million compensation to the 8-year-old survivor.
She noted that the penalty given to the convict will serve as a deterrent to those thinking of carrying out such a heinous crime in the future and be a reminder to them that no one who commits such a crime, especially against a minor, will go scot-free.
James Ibor, Principal Counsel of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, the NGO that secured the conviction, commended the judgement, stressing that violence against women and girls must stop.
He stated that the judgement was a triumph of good over evil, especially in the fight against rape and other sexual and gender-based violence in the state and the nation at large.
He lamented that the rate of this crime has continued to soar in recent years, making society unsafe for girls and minors.
He also hailed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, which became enforced in the state in 2021, stating that it will help reduce the rate of this crime and bring justice to those who fall victim to the predators in the state.
The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law (2015) domesticated in Cross River in 2021 prescribes life imprisonment for any person convicted of rape.
