Court jails man 24 years for raping, assaulting own daughters

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A State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has convicted a man, Okon Jimmy Ama, for incest, assault occasioning harm and rape of his two underage daughters.

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Justice Winifred Effiong delivered the judgement on Thursday. The case lasted for over 10 years.

Mr Ama, a driver and mechanic from Ikot Ekop Village in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, was arraigned based on the Child Rights Law of Akwa Ibom State for offences he committed in 2015 against his two daughters, who were 13 and 16 years old then.

The prosecution counsel, Ofonime Idio, told the court that the defendant repeatedly raped the minors, and that the defendant had also used a motor fan belt to brutalise one of the girls, and afterwards threw the belt into a pit toilet.

In its final address to the court, the prosecution argued that when a defendant is charged with one offence and evidence shows he committed a similar offence under the law, the court can convict him for the offence proven, even if it was not expressly charged. The state prosecution asked the court to also convict the defendant for rape.

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In the judgement, Justice Effiong held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt and that the evidence established the elements of rape alongside incest and assault.

The court consequently convicted Mr Ama on three counts: incest by a male, assault occasioning harm and rape.

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He was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for incest, three years for assault occasioning harm, and 14 years for rape.