By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to 35 years imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
Delivering judgment on in Charge No. A/3C/2024, Justice Peace Otti convicted the defendant on three counts of defilement, sexual abuse and exploitation, and inflicting physical injury.
The court imposed 25 years for defilement contrary to Section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004; 5 years for sexual abuse and exploitation contrary to Section 35(2); and 5 years for inflicting physical injury contrary to Section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Anambra State, 2017. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The prosecution, led by Principal State Counsel, Mrs. Chinelo Akorah, told the court that the defendant lured the victim to his residence under the pretext of featuring her in a comedy skit.
The victim, who testified as the first prosecution witness, said she went with her younger sister, having previously appeared in similar skits with the defendant.
She told the court that the defendant sent her younger sister on an errand and thereafter locked her in a room where he allegedly raped her, causing her injuries. A medical doctor who examined the child on the same day testified that she sustained injuries consistent with sexual assault.
In his defence, Edem denied the allegations and claimed that the child initiated the sexual act.
Justice Otti dismissed the defence, holding that under Nigerian law, a child is incapable of giving consent to sexual intercourse.
“The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through direct eyewitness testimony, medical evidence, circumstantial evidence and the defendant’s own confession,” the judge ruled.
She described the offence as “wicked and an abuse of trust,” noting that the defendant exploited his position and access to children through skit-making to lure and assault the victim.
The defendant, who was on bail during the trial, was absent when judgment was delivered.
Pursuant to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, Justice Otti issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest and ordered that he be declared wanted.
The court further directed that his photographs be circulated to the police and published in the media to aid his arrest.
The court also made three additional orders. It directed that the convict’s university shall not issue him a certificate until he completes his prison term.
It ordered him to pay N200,000 as compensation to the victim for the physical injuries sustained. It also directed that his name be entered into the Anambra State Sex Offenders’ Register.
Child rights advocates have described the judgment as a reaffirmation of the state government’s commitment to protecting children from sexual violence.
