A 34-year old school teacher, identified as Pascal Ofomata, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for raping his 11-year-old, JSS 1 student in Onitsha, Anambra State.
A Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting at Awka, gave the sentence in a ruling on a case of rape and infliction of physical harm brought before it against Mr Oformata.
The offences are punishable under section 3(1), 4 (1) respectively of the Violence against Persons Prohibition Law, and the offense of Sexual Abuse punishable under section 35 (2) of the Child’s Right Law of Anambra State.
Ofomata, a teacher at St Christopher’s Junior Seminary 3-3 Onitsha pleaded not guilty to the 3-count charge and outrightly denied penetrating the victim’s anus.
The defendant, however, admitted in his statement in the police that he sucked his penis and told him to kiss him.
After an intense and intriguing trial and evaluation by the investigating police officer and the doctor who examined the victim, the court upheld the case of the prosecuting counsel. It convicted the defendant, sentencing him to 12 years’ imprisonment.
The court also barred him from being employed in any establishment with persons under 18, such as primary, secondary, and even tertiary institutions.
Reacting to the development, the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, has hailed the judgment.
She expressed satisfaction that the state justice system is still delivering justice.
Obinabo described the case as a rare push for justice for the boy-child.
For her, it is also an opportunity to create awareness that boys can be victims of sexual violence.
