By Patrick Obia
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar and presiding over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in court 1, has sentenced Prince Joseph Mark to three years imprisonment for raping 6 and 11 years old minors.
The sentence was handed on May 23rd, 2024, at the Federal High Court of Cross River State, where the convict was found guilty of two out of the four charges.
In the suit number FHC/CA/86C/2023, between Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Prince Joseph Mark, Justice Ifeoma found him guilty of the punishable offense committed on May 22, 2023.
This coming two weeks 25 years old man, Aniedi Mfon was sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling an eight years old girl in Calabar.
Also two months ago Mr. Ernest Odong Oyira, was convicted to 14 years imprisonment after being found guilty of raping 10 years old girl in Cross River.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Court Sentence Man To Life Imprisonment For Raping 8 Year-Old Girl In Calabar
The Background
It’s a case of an 11 and 6 years old children who were raped by a neighbor – Joseph Mark, on the 22nd of May, 2023, when the children were sent to go drop off their father’s sales item (cooked Kpomo) with one of their parent’s neighbour who sells palm wine.
The children’s parents requested that the neighbor help them sell the remaining Kpomo while selling his palm wine for the day. On getting there, another neighbor different from the one sent to – one Mr. Imoh Joseph called the children into his shop in a bid to buy the Kpomo they were holding from the children.
He sent one of the children to go get him a bottle of coke, which he later drugged, forcefully and deceitfully gave the children to drink and raped both of them.
As documented, the children were a bit conscious, so they quickly ran home and reported what he did to their parents before they finally lost consciousness. Their parents ensured the perpetrator was arrested by Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
READ ALSO: Man Bags 14 Years Rape Sentence, To Clean Village Market, Others For Months
The case was later referred to the National Agency for the Prohibition and Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP). The case was charged to court and on April 30th, 2024, judgment was to be given but was adjourned to Wednesday 22nd of May 2023, when he was convicted.
The court awarded two hundred thousand Naira as compensation to the survivors.
Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), a nonprofit organization who took up the case expressed gratitude to the Federal High Court, the Judge, NAPTIP, the Correctional Services; the prosecutors, and the BRCI team for their unwavering dedication and commitment throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case.
The case was prosecuted by Jonathan Esene U. Esquire and Imong Asikong Etta, Esq.