Delta Court jails man 55 for 60 years over rape

A Delta State High Court sitting at Orerokpe has sentenced a 55-year-old man, Collins Ika to 60 years’ imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl entrusted to him in the Ugolo community, Okpe Local Government Area of the state.

The offence was committed between 2021 and 2022.

Justice Joe Egwu, who delivered the judgement in Orerokpe on Monday, also ordered the convict to pay ₦50 million as compensation to the victim.

The court further ordered the forfeiture of ₦111,000 brought by the defendant in an attempt to settle the matter out of court without the knowledge of the complainant, the police, or a human rights activist.

The money was ordered to be forfeited to the Delta State Government.

The prosecution, led by Miss Phoebian Onomakpome, an assistant director in the Delta State Ministry of Justice, had earlier told the court that the victim testified that the accused repeatedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of her and threatened to kill her if she opened up to anybody.

The mother of the girl also testified that she entrusted the child and her siblings to the defendant, their neighbour, during her absence.

The girl later disclosed the abuse after complaining of persistent waist pains.

Following a report to the police, the defendant fled but was later arrested in a sting operation facilitated by a human rights activist.

He was invited under the guise of a discussion for settlement and arrested when he arrived with ₦111,000, allegedly intended to hush the case.

The defendant denied the allegations and called his wife as his only witness.

In his ruling, Justice Egwu held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt and accordingly sentenced the defendant to 60 years’ imprisonment, stressing that the judgment should serve as a deterrent to others.