On Monday, the Children, Sexual, and Gender-based Violence Court, convened within the High Court of Awka, Anambra State, delivered a verdict sentencing Kenneth Nwangu, a middle-aged man, to 10 years’ imprisonment for the heinous act of defiling his nine-year-old daughter, his only child.
The judgment followed a three-count charge brought against the defendant by the state government, supported by compelling evidence that conclusively established his culpability.
Under the first count, which pertained to engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor, an offense punishable under Section 34 of the Child Rights Law of Anambra State of Nigeria 2004, Nwangu received a seven-year prison term.
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Additionally, he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for causing physical harm to his victim (count two), and one year for inflicting emotional and psychological abuse (count three), as stipulated under Sections 4 and 16 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition and Protection Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 2017.
The court’s decision was informed by the testimonies of prosecution witnesses, including the victim herself, and took into consideration Nwangu’s role in caring for the child following her mother’s departure.
Initially denying the charges and attributing blame to a woman entrusted with his daughter, Nwangu later confessed to the crime and appealed for leniency, citing his status as a first-time offender and his paternal relationship with the victim.
In response to the verdict, the Anambra State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje, expressed satisfaction, underscoring the significance of the ruling in deterring future offenders. She reaffirmed the state government’s resolute commitment to combatting sexual offenses, emphasizing its zero-tolerance stance on such crimes.
