This 10-Year-old Girl Seduced Me - Man, 27, Defends Himself in R@pe Charge

The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting at the High Court of Awka, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to 25 years, five years and five years' imprisonment for rape, sexual abuse and inflicting injury on a 10-year-old girl.

Justice Peace Otti, who presided over the case, found the defendant guilty on a three-count charge: rape, 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, Anambra State, 2017.

The prosecution, led by Principal State Counsel of the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, Chinelo Akorah, called six witnesses and tendered documents including the defendant's confessional statement and a medical report.

According to the charge sheet, the victim told the court how the defendant deceived her into coming to his house for a "comedy skit," having acted with him and others before, and that she went with her younger sister, who was sent home for a change of clothes.

In contrast, the defendant led the victim into a room where he claimed: "others were waiting."

"Inside, she met no one. He locked the door, defiled her, and she began to bleed. The medical doctor who examined her that same day testified in court and confirmed the bleeding and injuries," the charge sheet read.

In his defence, the defendant denied wrongdoing and claimed the child had seduced him, alleging she initiated the contact and told him she was 14 with a boyfriend.

The court dismissed this claim, noting that the presence of blood proved she was a virgin, and held that a child is not capable of giving consent under the law.

The court described the act as premeditated and carefully planned, adding, "Worse still, he was not even paying the child for the so-called comedy skit. To add salt to injury, he raped her."

Justice Otti held that the victim's account was fully corroborated by the defendant's confessional statement, which admitted the victim came to his house with her younger sister, a case further strengthened by testimonies from other witnesses, including the police officer and vigilante who arrested him.

The judge ruled that "the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through eyewitness testimony, overwhelming circumstantial evidence, and the Defendant's own confessional statement."

The defendant, who was on bail and had attended earlier proceedings, was absent on the day of judgment.

The judge proceeded to deliver the verdict in his absence, in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, and issued a bench warrant for his arrest, ordering that he be declared wanted with his photograph circulated to the police and online.

The court also directed the defendant's university not to issue him a certificate until he completes his prison term, and ordered him to pay a fine of N200,000 as compensation to the victim for the physical injury inflicted on her.

The Principal State Counsel and the Public Relations Officer of FIDA were commended for securing the conviction.