Court Jails Cross River Man for Life Over Daughter’s Rape

A High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced a 46-year-old man, Imeh Sunday, to life imprisonment for raping his daughter.

The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Blessing Egwu of Family Court 2 after the court found the defendant guilty of incestuous rape.

The prosecution, led by the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, a non-governmental organisation advocating for the protection of vulnerable persons, established its case beyond reasonable doubt with what the court described as overwhelming evidence.

Justice Egwu subsequently imposed the maximum sentence prescribed by law.

Reacting to the verdict, Principal Counsel of the organisation, James Ibor, commended the survivor for her courage and resilience throughout the trial.

He also lauded the roles played by the victim’s guardians, the Ministry of Justice, the police, and the judiciary in securing the conviction.

According to the group, the conviction brings to four the number of rape-related cases it has successfully prosecuted in Cross River State within the last four months.

In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force in Bauchi State had earlier arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly raping his eight-year-old biological daughter under disturbing circumstances.