A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced a 25-year-old man, Jerry Njoku, to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
Delivering judgment, Justice Rita Oguguo held that the prosecution successfully proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction of the defendant.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Njoku to pay N5 million compensation to the victim’s family to support her care and rehabilitation.
The court described the offence as grievous, underscoring the judiciary’s resolve to impose strict penalties on perpetrators of child sexual abuse and related crimes.
Reacting to the ruling, Chief State Counsel in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu, described the judgment as a strong warning to offenders, adding that it would serve as a deterrent to others.
He noted that the victim suffered severe physical and psychological trauma and stressed that the compensation would aid her recovery process.
The defence counsel declined to comment after the judgment was delivered.
