A 50 year old man, Ime Edet Akpan has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment over case of raping a minor 14 year old girl.
Ime Edet, a married man with five children, had committed the crime in 2022. He was arrested and charged to with Charge No. HU/154c/202.
The Defendant, Ime Edet Akpan at the time of matter was a 46 year old man, married with five children. The Defendant usually visits No.1 Chief John Usoro Str. Nung Udoe to see his woman lover. In the month of April, 2022, the Defendant who had gone to visit his lover noticed there was no one in the compound even his woman friend, waited for the victim, a 14 year old Joanna Okon Bassey to finish her chores, she undressed to go take a bath. While passing through the corridor to the bathroom, the Defendant grabbed her and unlawfully penetrated the victim. Consequently the victim became pregnant and the Defendant requested the victim carry out an abortion. The victim’s mother refused and reported to the police. The victim later delivered a baby boy who died 3 months later. But as a result of the childbirth the victim developed a weak bladder leading to uncontrollable urine leakage.
The Defendant in his oral evidence in court claimed he asked the victim for friendship and she accepted and he started having sex with her. When he was informed the victim was pregnant he accepted to take care of her and the victims mother gave him a list to marry the victim which included, a gas cylinder, Campari, 2 wrapers, half bag of rice, 2 crates of eggs, a carton of indomie, bread and tea. The defendant raised the defence of consent in his oral evidence. This defence was raised for the first time in court.
The court held that the burden of proof of penetration had been made easy for the prosecution by the admittance of the Defendant to having sexual intercourse with the victim. The court also concluded that the victim was incapable of giving consent. The evidence of PW1 and PW2 were never disparaged under cross examination. The prosecution also tendered forensic analysis showing the age of the victim.
In his judgment, Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel of High Court 6 convicted the Defendant of Rape and sentenced him to 21 years imprisonment.
Reacting to the judgment, the prosecuting counsel, Akaninyene Akpan Esq commended the court for giving justice to the victim, saying that the court remains the last hope of the common man.
Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice has said that the conviction reaffirms the Akwa Ibom State Justice System’s commitment to accountability, the protection of human life and the rule of law. The Ministry commends Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel for a sound judgment and Akaninyene Akpan, Esq. for diligent prosecution.