A 47-year-old father, Godwin Allu has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour by a Benin Chief Magistrate’s Court for defiling his 12-year-old daughter.
The convict, was accused of unlawfully having devouring his daughter on Nov. 20, at 19 Omono Street, off Stadium road, Benin City.
According to the prosecutor, his offence contravened section 208 of the Criminal Code, cap 48 Vol .11 of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, which is applicable to the present Edo state.
The minor had earlier testified that her biological father had slept with her countless times at different occasions.
The victim, who had blood stains on her school uniform, told her headteacher at Obaseki Primary School, Benin of her ordeal in the hands of her sex-crazed dad.
The headteacher later reported the case at the Airport Police Station, also in Benin, leading to his summon in court.
He pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Peter Obaseki, while delivering her judgment yesterday, described the heinous act as cruel for which the accused deserved no mercy.
He said, “That the accused had carnal knowledge with a 12-year-old child on three separate occasions is bad enough.
“It is heart rendering that he was doing it with his own daughter, who even had blood stains on her uniform on the day this incest was reported.
“The case of sexual offence in this jurisdiction is not only increasing, but that of parents defiling their own daughters is also becoming common knowledge,” the Magistrate said.
Obaseki said, “it is necessary that the court join other stakeholders in taking a serious stand in order to wipe out this monster before the society’s moral fabric is completely destroyed.
“For this reason, the convict must be put out of circulation for sometime so that he would not be able to continue with his bestial activities.
“It is my prayer that God will forgive and change him for the better while in prison.
“In the circumstance, the convict is sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour. There shall be no option of fine.”
