Screenshot
A Delta State High Court sitting in Kwale has convicted and sentenced a 55-year-old man, Emmanuel Akpan, to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor for raping a 9-year-old girl in Azunze community, Kwale,Ndokwa West Local Government Area.
The court, presided over by Hon. Justice O. Enenmodelivered the verdict on the 28 of April, 2026. The prosecution, led by Mrs. Catherine Onoberhie-Oberuomo, an Assistant Director in the Delta State Ministry of Justice, had charged the defendant with one count of rape.
According to the prosecution, the victim was the daughter of the defendant’s fiancée. The victim was staying with her aunt, who was the defendant’s fiancée, at the time of the incident. The defendant took advantage of the situation when his fiancée traveled and raped the victim on multiple occasions in 2023 and September 2024.
The defendant threatened the victim that if she told her mother about the incident, he would beat her. However, the victim eventually reported the case to her mother, who promptly reported it to the authorities.
The prosecution presented evidence that proved the defendant’s guilt, and the court found him guilty of the offense of rape. Justice Enenmo sentenced the defendant to 20 years imprisonment with hard labor, a punishment that reflects the severity of the crime.
This conviction and sentencing serve as a significant milestone in the fight against sexual violence, particularly against children and vulnerable individuals in the state.
