Anambra Court Jails Final-Year Student 35 Years for Defiling 10-Year-Old Girl Lured with Fake Comedy Skit Offer

The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to 35 years imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old girl.

Delivering judgment on Thursday in Charge No. A/3C/2024, Justice Peace Otti sentenced the convict to 25 years imprisonment for defilement, 5 years for sexual abuse and exploitation, and another 5 years for inflicting physical injury on the victim. The sentences are to run concurrently.

The defendant was arraigned by the Anambra State Government on a three-count charge of defilement contrary to Section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004; sexual abuse and exploitation contrary to Section 35(2) of the same law; and inflicting physical injury contrary to Section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Anambra State, 2017.

The prosecution, led by Principal State Counsel, Mrs. Chinelo Akorah, called six witnesses and tendered documentary exhibits including the defendant’s confessional statement and a medical report.

Testifying as the first prosecution witness, the victim told the court that the defendant invited her to his residence under the pretext of featuring her in a comedy skit.

She said she went with her younger sister because she had previously appeared in similar skits with the defendant and other children.

According to her, the defendant sent her younger sister on an errand and thereafter locked her in a room where he allegedly raped her, causing her injuries.

A medical doctor who examined the child on the same day testified that she sustained injuries consistent with sexual assault.

In his defence, the defendant denied the allegations and claimed that the child initiated the sexual act.

In her judgment, Justice Otti dismissed the defence, holding that under Nigerian law a child cannot give consent to sexual intercourse.

The court described the act as premeditated and held that the victim’s testimony was corroborated by the defendant’s confessional statement and other evidence presented by the prosecution.

“The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through direct eyewitness testimony, medical evidence, circumstantial evidence and the defendant’s own confession,” the judge ruled.

The defendant, who was on bail during the trial, was absent when judgment was delivered.

Pursuant to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, Justice Otti issued a bench warrant for his immediate arrest and ordered that he be declared wanted.
The court further directed that his photographs be circulated to the police and published in the media to aid his arrest.

The court also made three additional orders which include,the convict’s university is barred from issuing him a certificate until he completes his prison term, to pay N200,000 as compensation to the victim for the physical injuries sustained and his name to be entered into the Anambra State Sex Offenders’ Register.

Justice Otti described the offence as wicked and an abuse of trust, noting that the defendant used his position and access to children through skit-making to lure and assault the victim.