“A 25-year-old man, Aniedi Mfon, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old girl in Calabar, Cross River State. The verdict was delivered by Justice Blessing Egwu of Family Court 2 at the High Court, Calabar, on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, following Aniedi’s conviction for the crime committed on September 27, 2022.
Justice Egwu expressed concern over the alarming rate of rape cases and imposed a fine of one million Naira in favor of the survivor. The legal battle was led by Basic Rights Council Initiative (BRCI), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating rape and other forms of human rights abuses.
In response to the judgment, Barrister James Ibor, Principal Counsel for BRIC, commended the Cross River State Command of the Nigerian Police Force, led by CP Gyogon Grimah, for their support. He hailed the verdict as a victory for justice and applauded the survivor’s family for their resilience in the face of bribery and intimidation.
Ibor also recognized the efforts of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ededem Ani, along with the BRCI team and Prosecutor, Patience Emmanuel Akpama for their dedication and commitment throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case.
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