Anambra Court Sentences Awka Man to 16 Years for Rape, Abduction

An Awka Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court has sentenced 34-year-old Onyedika Okafor to 16 years in prison for abduction and rape.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Peace Otti held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty on both counts. The court also ordered that Okafor be registered as a sexual offender in Anambra State.

Prosecuting counsel Chikodili Enemuo, an assistant chief state counsel, told the court the offence occurred on October 8, 2022, in Ezinifite village, Awka.

According to the prosecution, Okafor and other armed men entered the victim’s residence and demanded she follow them. When neighbours tried to intervene, the men allegedly threatened them with a weapon before taking the woman to an uncompleted building, where she was raped.

The prosecution said the victim was later released and reported the incident to the police, leading to Okafor’s arrest.

At the police station, Okafor claimed the victim was his girlfriend.

During the trial, the prosecution called four witnesses, including the victim, her aunt, an investigating police officer and a medical doctor, who testified about injuries sustained by the victim.

Okafor testified in his own defence and called one witness, but the court found the witness’s testimony unreliable under cross-examination.