By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
An Abuja based businessman, identified as Chika Adionye is to spend the rest of his life in prison over the rape of two of his under aged cousins.
The 42-year old rapist was on Friday, found guilty of the alleged offence and sentenced accordingly by an FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, presided over by His Lordship, Justice Samira Bature.
He was said to have raped the victims, who were aged seven and eight years old respectively at the time he committed the atrocious act.
This was contained in a statement by the Press Officer of NAPTIP, Adekoye Vincent, and made available to journalists at the weekend.
According to the release, the convict was arrested by the operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in 2016 at Kara Majiji Community of Airport Road, a suburb of the FCT, following a petition by the mother of one of the victims.
” Chika Adionye lured both children into his apartment shortly after his wife left home and violently raped them, one after the other.
” He was charged to court for rape and offensive conduct contrary to Section 1 and 5 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP), 2015 and the trial began in 2016 but the case suffered a setback including the convict jumping bail and fleeing to Imo State. He was, however, tracked and re-arrested a few years later.
” He was arraigned on the 7th of February 2022 on a 4-count charge. On the 15th of December 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment”, it stated.
While delivering the judgment, the judge said, “Having considered all evidence adduced by the prosecution in this case, the prosecution having proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and following the sentencing guidelines in line with Section 1 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, I convict you as charged and sentence you to Life Imprisonment.”.
Speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi, PhD, commended the judiciary for delivering a commensurable punishment.
While appreciating all frontline respondents who collaborated with NAPTIP throughout the progression of the case, Prof. Fatima Waziri–Azi assured that NAPTIP shall continue to ensure a violence free nation.
This is the second life imprisonment conviction for rape and the fourth rape conviction in 2023.
