News
Court sentences 52-year-old bishop to 20 years in prison for rape
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Gudu has sentenced Bishop Kenneth Duke, a prominent church founder in Abuja, to 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine for the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
Justice Adebiyi Osolo handed down the sentence after the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) charged the 52-year-old bishop, an indigene of Cross River State, for assaulting the minor, who had been entrusted to his care. The offence contravenes the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
In case number CR/702/2023, Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Bishop Kenneth Duke, the defendant was arraigned on November 2, 2023, on a two-count charge of rape and causing emotional and psychological harm to the victim.
NAPTIP’s investigation revealed that the victim, an indigene of Ondo State, had been living in Lagos before moving to Abuja to live with her mother. On March 5, 2023, her mother took her to the bishop’s church, where she later stayed with the bishop’s family under the arrangement for the child to learn a skill.
On March 6, 2023, while alone with the girl, Duke allegedly assaulted her.
NAPTIP confirmed that the bishop was found guilty of rape and sentenced accordingly.
Reacting to the conviction, NAPTIP’s Director-General Binta Bello commended the judiciary for its decision, noting that it would serve as a deterrent to others.
“I want to sincerely thank the judiciary for this judgment. It will certainly serve as a deterrent to others,” Bello said, stressing that NAPTIP would continue to hold offenders accountable regardless of their status.
Bello further emphasised the serious impact of sexual violence. “Rape is a serious crime with lasting psychological effects on the victim. We must all rise to say no to this heinous crime and ensure the protection of our children,” she added.
The development followed the rescue of nine pregnant girls by NAPTIP operatives at a suspected baby factory located within one of the sprawling estates in the Ushafa area of Abuja.
The victims had been locked in a rented apartment inside the estate by a suspected trafficking agent, whose identity remains unknown, after being recruited through an online platform.
NAPTIP operatives carried out the raid following a tip-off from a concerned citizen who noticed unusual activity and movement around the area.
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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