A Delta State High Court in Abraka, Ethiope-East Local Government Area, has sentenced Ernest Okporu to 12 years in prison for violently defiling an 11-year-old girl in 2024 at Osubi Community, Okpe Local Government Area. The judgement was delivered on Thursday by Justice S.I. Okeleke, upholding the principles of justice and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.

Kelvin Ejumudo, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Human Rights and National Secretary of the Human Rights Protection Congress (HRPC), praised the court and legal team for securing justice. He highlighted the trauma the girl has endured since the attack and described the sentence as a victory for justice and child protection.

Ejumudo also commended the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, for the quality legal representation throughout the case. He noted that the offender’s picture will be posted on the Delta State website for rape offenders to serve as a deterrent against sexual crimes.

The HRPC representative lauded Governor of Delta State for maintaining a zero-tolerance policy against rape, defilement, and other sexual offenses, emphasizing the government’s commitment to protecting children and vulnerable persons in the state.