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.
On those obstructing justice in the prosecution of rape cases, the justice commissioner said a law was in the offing to punish offenders under the State Criminal Law Bill, 2021 pending in the State House of Assembly.
He said:”Under this heading, it will be a criminal offence for any person to seek to hinder or unlawfully influence the office of the Attorney-General to discontinue certain criminal matters including Rape, Sexual Assault and Child Defilement.
“The punishment prescribed is five years imprisonment on conviction. Persons in the habit of writing letters of discontinuance in rape matters are specifically invited to take note.
“Legal Protection of Gender Based Violence Whistleblowers. The Ministry of Justice has proposed an amendment to Gender Based Violence Prohibition Law 2020 (as amended).
“The amendment seeks to protect persons who report cases of Rape, Sexual Assault, and Child Defilement.
“By the provisions of the proposed amendment such persons will be included in the Whistleblowers’ Protection Programme of the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice”.
On July 1, 2021, a State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti sentenced a self-acclaimed prophet, Olakanye Oni, to life imprisonment for manslaughter after raping his victim.
According to the prosecution led by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice Ekiti State, Mr Julius Ajibare, the convict had in sometimes in March 2017 invited one Gbadamosi Omowale from Lagos to Ado Ekiti on the pretence that he has solution to her barrenness.
On getting to his Church at Palace of Mercy, Mathew Street, Odo Ado Area, Ado Ekiti, the convict hypnotized the victim and lured her into his room. He thereafter spread a white cloth on her and raped her.
The convict used white handkerchief to clean the victim’s private part and inserted a substance believed to be potash into her vagina.
He also collected N50,000 from the victim.
The victim’s vagina got decayed as a result of the substance inserted into it by the convict, resulting in the victim’s death.
Persecondnews also recalls that another High Court in June convicted a 27-year-old man, Farotimi Samuel, and sent him to life imprisonment for conspiracy and gang-rape.
Justice Adekunle Adeleye said: “I hold that the prosecution has established the ingredients of the offence of rape against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. He is found guilty as charged. He is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.”
The crime was committed on or about January 29, 2018 at Oke-Ureje, Federal Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, when the accused conspired with others at large to rape a 14-year-old girl.
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