By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – A Family Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State capital, has convicted and sentenced a 41-year-old man, Ita Okon, for raping an 8-year-old girl.
CONVERSEER gathered that Okon was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday, 8th October, by Hon. Justice Blessing Egwu of Family Court 2 Calabar.
In addition to the life sentence, the Court also awarded a compensation of N1,000,000 (One million naira) to the 8-year-old Survivor.
Commenting on the matter shortly, Barr. James Ibor, Principal Counsel of Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), the NGO that secured the conviction, said the violence against women must end as this is a great feat in the fight against r*pe.
“May I use this opportunity to thank the Nigerian Police Force, Cross River State, the Ministry of Justice, Cross River State and Basic Rights Counsel Initiative for the output. The war against Violence Against Women and Girls must be won,” Ibor said.
CONVERSEER reports that several criminals of all ages have been convicted of r*pe in Cross River in the past 12 months.
