Justice Blessing Egwu of the High Court in Cross River on Wednesday jailed one Uduak Udo to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year old minor in Calabar.
According to the matter which was first reported on March 31, 2025, Udo, a 39-year-old man, was alleged to have raped the minor.
However, the now convict had denied the allegation.
Justice Egwu, who delivered the ruling on Wednesday, imposed the maximum penalty of life imprisonment on Udo, noting his persistent denial throughout the proceedings.
She said, given the lack of any mitigating factors to justify a lesser term, the severity of the crime necessitated the harshest possible sentence.
Justice Egwu also sternly reprimanded the mother of the survivor, citing her role in exposing the child to significant danger.
She heard that the mother had forced the young child into street hawking rather than ensuring the child was in school.
”Following an incident where the child spilt the goods being sold, the mother physically abused the victim and eventually locked the child out of the house.
”The child sought refuge at Mr Udo’s house, who initially allowed her to stay; however, at night, he bypassed his sleeping wife, went to the parlour where the child was and committed the heinous crime against the minor,” she said.
The Principal Counsel, Basic Rights Council
