The Human Rights Writers (HURIWA), has urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to partner with the chief judge of Imo State to set up an effective platform for the aggressive prosecution of adults engaging in criminal sexual defilement of minors in Imo State.
The right group in a statement by its national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko expressed concern over the lack of state-funded mechanisms aimed at eradicating sexual defilement and violations of children in Imo State.
HURIWA stated that it has observed that many children are getting sexually abused by depraved adults in Imo State but there is no strong, efficient investigative and prosecution processes coordinated by a state-funded commission for protecting children from sexual violations.
The right group tasked on the establishment of specialised courts located across Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu zones for prosecuting sexual offenders who violate children sexually.
HURIWA added that efforts should be channeled towards checking increasing involvement of children in sex trades which are organised by crime gangs; this was stated as one way to reduce cases such as young girls hawking items on streets or being involved in part-time prostitution through schools.
The right group which commended the operatives of the Imo State Police Command for arresting three male adults for allegedly defiling a 12- year-old girl in the state just as the Rights group stated that cases of sexual violations of children especially young girls hawking items on the streets of urban centres of the state are rife but the absence of any sort of well coordinated efforts by both the executive and judicial arms of government in Imo state to work in synergy to combat the menace has made Imo State the capital of sexual defilement of children in the South East.
“HURIWA is appealing to the female lawyers group in Imo State to work towards ensuring that the judiciary and the executive set up specialised court system to wage war against adults who frequently sexually abuse children in Imo State. The idea that young female students go into part time prostitution to train themselves through schools, is a hydra headed monster that government of Imo state must eradicate by introducing scholarships for indigent students in the state owned tertiary educational institutions.”
Spokesperson for the Imo state police command, Henry Okoye in a statement, identified the suspects as Joseph Onyeama, 35, Üzoma Nwanoreze, 30 and Eberechukwu Nwosu, 43 just as he said the survivor (name withheld), is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital due to vaginal injuries and sexually transmitted diseases she contracted as a result.
Okoye, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said investigations revealed that the suspects had carnal knowledge of the girl at different occasions, resulting in the injuries she sustained in her vagina and transmission of diseases. He assured that the suspects would appear in court soon after the investigation.
Okoye said the Commissioner of Police in the state after condemning the act, urged the residents to support the police in the fight against “barbaric acts”.
“The Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma while condemning the barbaric acts in totality, calls on the well-meaning residents of Imo State to support the Police in the onslaught against defilement, sexual assault, and other sexual related crimes,” he said. He affirmed that such societal menace is utterly condemnable and perpetrators will be made to face the wrath of the
law.
HURIWA called upon female lawyers groups within Imo state judiciary circles to work together with executive arms towards establishing specialised court systems similar Lagos’ model where punitive measures including multiple life sentences can be issued against individuals found guilty under criminal codes operable all over southern Nigeria.
HURIWA suggested that punitive measures including multiple life sentences which are issued by the Lagos special court against sexual defilement of children should be adopted by the Imo state judiciary since the same criminal code is operable all over southern Nigeria.