A 41-year-old man, Ita Okon, has been convicted and sentenced by a Family Court in Calabar for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl. Justice Blessing Egwu delivered the judgement on Tuesday, October 8, after finding Okon guilty of all charges.

The court also awarded N1 million compensation to the survivor. Principal Counsel of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), James Ibor, the organisation that secured the conviction, commended the court for its fair judgement. He described the outcome as a significant victory in the fight against sexual assault.

“This judgement is a great feat in the fight against sexual assaults in our society,” Ibor stated. “The war against violence against women and girls must be won.”

He also expressed his appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Police Force in Cross River State and the State Ministry of Justice in combating such crimes.