By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A Children, Sexual and Gender-Vased Violence Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State capital, has slammed a ten year imprisonment in a 40-year-old man, Mr. Kenneth Nwangwu, for defiling his 9-year-old daughter.
Mr. Nwangwu, who was arraigned earlier this week by the state government had a three-count charge hanging on his neck, which borders on actual defilement of a his underage daughter; inflicting of physical injuries on the victim; as well as causing emotional and psychological abuse on her.
While he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment over the first count charge; he was also sentenced to two years imprisonment for the second count charge, and lastly sentenced to one year imprisonment for the third count charge (making it a total of 10 years imprisonment for the three-count charge).
It was gathered that the first charge is punishable under Section 34 of the Child Rights Law of Anambra State of Nigeria 2004); whereas the second and third charges are punishable under Sections 4 and 16 of the Violence Against Persons, Prohibition and Protection, Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 2017, respectively.
The defendant earlier denied defiling his child, claiming it was a woman he usually left the child with following the wife’s separation that got him arrested by the police over the allegation.
Howbeit, he later confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency, while his defence counsel also pleaded for mercy of the court, especially on the premise that the defendant was a first-time offender and had the victim as his only child, among others reasons.
The court, in its ruling, relied on evidence presented by prosecution witnesses; including the victim and also took cognisance of evidence that the defendant had been taking care of the victim from about one year after the mother left them, among others.
The court, after slamming the 10 years imprisonment on the defendant, also ordered that the seven—, two–, and one-year prison terms should run concurrently, adding that the victim should still remain in the care of the Anambra State Government.
In his reaction after the judgement, the Anambra State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje, who led the prosecution team in the case, described the judgment as a welcome development.
While reiterating that the state government has zero tolerance for any form of sexual assaults, Prof. Ifemeje expressed optimism that judgement and the punishment of the culprit would serve as deterrent to others still dreaming to commit similar crime.
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