Why rape convictions are few, by Lagos attorney general

Stigmatisation and lack of medical evidence are two key issues impeding the rate of convictions in rape cases, the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem has stated.

He, however, said there had been about 60 per cent increase in reported cases of the crime in the last one year compared to last year.The attorney general stated this in Lagos yesterday at a briefing organised by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) to announce the start of an awareness campaign programme against domestic and sexual violence.

The theme of the programme, which would be held for a month is “Promoting positive masculinity, men can end sexual and gender-based violence,” Kazeem, who was represented by the alternate Chairman of the DSVRT, Mrs. Omotilewa Ibirogba, said the theme was chosen because it was discovered scientifically that a lot of attention has been on females, unconsciously neglecting males who have a major role to play in preventing sexual and gender-based violence.

According to the commissioner, the campaign would begin on September 8. It would include a symposium on the role of men in ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) targeted at artisans, market men and women, members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), police officers, among others.

The attorney general, who is also the chairman of DSVRT said the team carried out a research on sex convicts and inmates awaiting trial in February 2016 in prison facilities in Lagos for SGBV cases.

The Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmos, in an address said one major concern to her command is that some leaders of religious sects now abuse minors by hiding under spiritual activities to commit the crime.