REUTERS
A Warri based lawyer, Mr Lucky Egboyi on Monday called for more trials, convictions and sentence of rape offenders so as to discourage and deter future adventurers.
The legal practitioner made the call in a chat with Our Correspondent in Warri, Delta State.
Egboyi who was reacting to the alleged rape of a nineteen-year-old by a cleric, Bishop Elijah Orhonigbe, condemned the act saying, “Morally speaking, such despicable act should not be heard of, or subscribe to”man of God”. If it’s true or proved, then, I will see it as part of the signs of the end time, the Bible talks about.”
Egboyi, however, noted that the cleric who was remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Service is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is established.
“In law, he who asserts must prove and in the case of rape, like every other criminal allegation, the standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt.”
According to him, “Once his guilt is proved as required by law, he will be sentenced to life imprisonment. That is the punishment for rape.”
Egboyi pointed out that perverted moral values, immorality as norms, young inappropriate dressing, indiscipline as inadequate enforcement mechanism of the law, difficulty in proving rape cases, etc as some of the reasons why rape is on the increase in recent times.