Man jailed 25 years for abduction of orphan in Cross River

Justice Blessing Ugwu of the Cross State High Court, Calabar, on Thursday sentenced one Matthew Uyangha to 25 years imprisonment for kidnapping a 13-year-old orphan in the state.

The state government arraigned the convict for kidnapping and sexually assaulting the victim in the Esuk Utan area of Calabar Municipality.

The prosecution told the court that Uyangha assaulted the victim for two months before he was arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

READ ALSO: Pastor initiates own abduction, collects ransom from church members in Plateau

In her judgement, Justice Egwu held that the evidence against Uyangha was overwhelming and convicted him on a two-count charge of abduction and rape.

Reacting to the judgement, the Principal Counsel of Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), Mr. James Ibor, commended the state and judiciary for their determination to keep children safe.

He said: “The judgment showed that there is no place for rapists in Cross River as the judgment is a strong statement that the State is willing to uphold the true spirit of the Child Rights Law among others.”

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