Abia CJ prescribes life jail for paedophiles

Gov’s wife seeks more family courts
The Acting Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Onuoha Ogwe, has recommended life jail for minors’ rapists.

The CJ, who canvassed the advocacy when the wife of the state governor, Nkechi Ikpeazu, led a coalition of religious women groups, academic women, bureaucrats, lawyers, politicians, widows, human rights activists among others on a visit to the judiciary, reiterated the determination of the state judiciary to dispense justice equitably.

Mrs. Ikpeazu, who told the CJ that her non-governmental organisation (NGO), Vicar Hope Foundation, and other allied women groups “are working together to change the status quo in the way and manner our women and the girl-child are treated and to give them better protection and access to avenues that can improve their lives.”

She recalled having paid similar advocacy visits to the House of Assembly Police Command where she urged the lawmakers to expedite the passage of bills geared at expanding the frontiers of women, just as the police force was enjoined to duly investigate cases and get empowered in this respect.

The governor’s wife further told the chief judge that her visit to was to encourage the speedy dispensation of justice for sufferers of various human rights abuses, especially women and children.

Specifically, Mrs. Ikpeazu requested the CJ to create more family courts in the state to handle civil matters in a way to reconcile aggrieved family members and educate women on their rights.

According to her, some schools of thought had held that the country was not bereft of workable laws but enforcement, adding that offenders of related crimes were only being disturbingly set free.

She said: “ Over the years, the Nigerian judiciary has proven itself to be one arm of government that has managed to keep itself a little above the common fray that bedevils our society.”