Court sentences man to life in prison for raping daughter
Add us on Google HA High Court in Cross River State has convicted and sentenced a 46-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping his daughter. The judge, Blessing Egwu, imposed the maximum sentence on Imeh Sunday after the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution. The conviction was disclosed by James Ibor, a lawyer and co-founder of Basic Rights Council Initiatives (BRCI), in a Facebook post. Mr Ibor commended the survivor, her grandparents, state authorities, and justice sector actors for their roles in securing justice. Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. Add as a preferred source on Google /* 1. 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The High-Impact Button / .gn-button { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 12px; padding: 14px 24px; border: 1px solid #dadce0; border-radius: 30px; / Modern pill shape / text-decoration: none; background: #ffffff; color: #3c4043; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(60,64,67,0.1); } .gn-button-text { font-size: 17px; / Increased font size / font-weight: 700; / Maximum boldness / letter-spacing: 0.1px; } .gn-button:hover { background: #f8f9fa; border-color: #d2d2d2; box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(60,64,67,0.2); transform: translateY(-1px); } .gn-icon { width: 22px; / Matched to larger text size / height: 22px; object-fit: contain; } / 5. 📱 Mobile Optimization / @media (max-width: 480px) { .gn-card { padding: 20px; } .gn-header { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 10px; } .gn-title { font-size: 20px; } .gn-description { font-size: 16px; } .gn-button { width: 100%; justify-content: center; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 14px 10px; } .gn-button-text { font-size: 15px; / Scaled slightly for small screens / } } “I wish to commend the survivor, her grandparents, the Attorney General of Cross River State, Charles Ani, the commissioner of police, the judiciary, as well as the staff and volunteers of BRCI for their commitment and support toward the survivor and her recovery,” he wrote. The offence was committed in 2024, while prosecution commenced in 2025, this newspaper gathered. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ibor emphasised the legal framework guiding the conviction. “Any sexual intercourse with anyone under the age of 18 is rape, and the punishment upon conviction is life imprisonment,” Mr Ibor said, referencing the Cross River State Child Rights Act 2023. He explained that the court imposed the maximum sentence due to the aggravated nature of the crime. “The court awarded the maximum punishment because the survivor in this case is the man’s daughter. The court considers that the child trusted him so much because he is her father, making the child vulnerable, and that having sexual intercourse with her is a betrayal of trust,” he said. The judgement adds to a growing list of rape convictions recorded in Cross River in recent years. In January 2026, a court in Calabar sentenced a man to death for raping two children and a woman, Vanguard newspaper reported. In October 2024, PREMIUM TIMES reported the life imprisonment of a 47-year-old man in Cross River for raping an eight-year-old girl. READ ALSO: Obesere set to marry popular sex therapist as second wife The court also ordered the man to pay N1 million compensation to the survivor. In July 2021, a man in Calabar was jailed for 12 years for raping two minors. In January 2021, another offender in Cross River received a 22-year sentence for raping his 14-year-old daughter. Share this: Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Stay Ahead with Premium Times Follow us on Google News and never miss breaking stories, investigations, and in-depth reporting. 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