Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a 40-year-old man, identified as John Udom to life imprisonment for raping an 8-year-old boy and his neighbour in Uyo, the state capital.
The presiding judge, Justice Bennett Ilaumo while delivering his judgment yesterday in suit number HU/23C/2020 between the State and Aniekan John Udom found Udom, a native of Ikot Nkim in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area guilty of rape.
Ilaumo submitted that the offence which occurred on Friday, 28th August 2020 is punishable under section 1and 2 of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, 2020.
He ruled that “Upon the charge being read to the accused person and upon his plea of guilty and of his hearing the facts as stated by the State Counsel, I enquired of the accused if the facts are true and correct and he admitted that they are.
“I have aligned same with Section 1 (1) (a) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020 and found that facts align with the provision of the law therein. Upon the accused person’s plea, therefore, I find him guilty as pleaded. The sentence provided for upon conviction for this offence is imprisonment for life.”
The prosecuting Counsel, Maria Akpan had while reading the fact of the case, told the Court that John Udom was caught committing the offense in a broad daylight at # 12 Anyan-ikot Street, off Abak Road, Uyo by the victim’s lesson teacher, identified as Iniobong Akpan Nta.
She noted that the lesson teacher testified that John Udom was caught while inserting his penis inserted into the anus of the victim, a primary four pupil, adding that when Udom sighted the lesson teacher he ran away.
She said he was later arrested by the Police, and that Police Medical Report confirmed that the victim was forcefully raped on the anus with clinical evaluation showing a young boy in pain and bruises around his anal region.
However, John Udom also pleaded guilty to the offence.
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