The Children, S3xual and Gender-based Violence Court sitting at the High Court of Awka, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to 25 years, five years and five years imprisonment, respectively for r@pe, s@xual abuse and inflicting injury on a 10-year-old girl.
The court was presided over by Justice Peace Otti who found the defendant guilty on a three-count Charge No. A/3C/2024: The State vs. Wisdom Edem.
The charge sheet read, “ The 10-year-old victim, told the Court in vivid detail how the Defendant deceived her into coming to his house for a ‘comedy skit’.
“The victim said she had acted with the defendant and others before, so she went with her younger sister. On arrival, the Defendant sent the younger sister home to get a change of clothes for PW1, then asked her to go into his room where ‘others were waiting’.
“Inside, she met no one. He locked the door, defiled her, and she began to bleed. The medical doctor who examined her that same day testified in court and confirmed the bleeding and injuries.
“The Defendant, in his defence, denied any wrongdoing and claimed the victim seduced him.”
However, the Court dismissed his claim.
He alleged that the girl removed his clothes, inserted his p3n!s into her v@gina and screamed.
He also claimed she told him she was 14 and had a boyfriend.
The Court rejected this, noting that the presence of blood proved she was a v!rgin.
The judge in her ruling held that a child is not capable of giving consent under the law.
The Court, therefore, described the act as premeditated and carefully planned.
“Worse still, he was not even paying the child for the so-called comedy skit. To add salt to injury, he r@ped.
The Defendant, who was on bail and was present in court for his trial, was absent on the day of judgment.
The Judge proceeded to deliver the judgment in his absence. He then issued a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered that he be declared wanted.
The accused was ordered to pay a fine of N200,000 as compensation to the victim for the physical injury inflicted on her.
