In spite of the stiff penalties for rape and other forms of sexual violence in Ekiti State, an incestuous father has chosen to violate the law to begin his long and torturous journey to life imprisonment, reports Persecondnews.
The 37-year-old randy father, Musa Nurudeen, who deflowered his 11-year-old daughter of junior high school, has been apprehended and hauled into court on Wednesday.
Following his arraignment, a Magistrates’ Court in Ado, the state capital, sent Nurudeen to jail to cool off pending trial.
Nurudeen is being prosecuted by the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice for offences bordering on rape.
According to Prosecutor E.S. Atane, Musa was charged for the offence reasonably suspected to be rape of his 11-year-old biological daughter, who is a JSS 1 student at their residence within Ado Ekiti Magisterial District.
He allegedly committed the crime on May 19, 2021.
The offences contravened Section 357 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Atane urged the court to remand the accused in prison pending legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In his ruling, Magistrate O.F. Bamidele, ordered the accused to remanded at the Ado Correctional facility (prison) and adjourned the case until August 11, 2021.
Persecondnews had reported that in Ekiti State, the government is to henceforth confiscate any private residential apartment, facility and hotel used for the rape of a minor.
In addition to the measures to curb sexual violence in the state, the Gov. Kayode Fayemi-led administration has made more legal efforts to protect the identities of whistleblowers, who raised alarm over issues of sexual assault.
Persecondnews reports that rape attracts a maximum life sentence in Ekiti State.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Mr Wale Fapohunda, who disclosed this, insisted rape and other forms of sexual violence against girl-child and women in the state must stop.
“Hotel owners and other places of leisure risk confiscation of their facilities if such places are used for the rape of minors.
“Similarly private residences that are found to have been used for the rape of minors will also be subject to possible confiscation by the Government of Ekiti State.
“The Ministry of Justice is currently working on a legislative proposal that will allow Government to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy of such properties with a view to converting them to rehabilitation centers for ex-convicts,” he said in Ado, the state capital on Tuesday.
According to him, the state is currently prosecuting 121 rape cases against offenders.
“The Ministry of Justice is presently prosecuting 121 cases of Rape in various courts.
‘This number is particularly disturbing considering this statistics only relates to victims or their relatives who are willing to support the Ministry in the prosecution of these cases.
“Infact, unwilling victims to this number, is even more alarming. It is for this reason that the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice is today announcing additional measures to curb sexual violence in the state,” Fapohunda said.
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