Court again sentences man who raped two children in Calabar to three years in prison

By Patrick Obia

A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in Court 1, has sentenced Prince Joseph Mark to three years in prison for the rape of minors aged 6 and 11.

The verdict was pronounced on 23 May 2024 in the Federal High Court of Cross River State, where the convict was found guilty on two of the four counts.

In Suit No. FHC/CA/86C/2023 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Prince Joseph Mark, Justice Ifeoma found him guilty of the offence committed on 22 May 2023.

In the next two weeks, 25-year-old Aniedi Mfon was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old girl in Calabar.

Also two months ago Mr Ernest Odong Oyirawas sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl in Cross River.

ALSO READ: BREAKING NEWS: Court sentences man to life imprisonment for raping 8-year-old girl in Calabar

The background

This is the case of two children aged 11 and 6 who were raped by a neighbour – Joseph Mark – on 22 May 2023 when the children were sent to deliver their father’s item for sale (cooked kpomo) to a neighbour of their parents who sells palm wine.

The children’s parents asked the neighbour to help them sell the remaining kpomo while he sold his palm wine for the day. When they got there, a neighbour other than the one they had been sent to – a certain Mr Imoh Joseph – called the children into his shop to buy the kpomo they were holding.

He sent one of the children to get him a bottle of Coke, later mixed the drink with drugs, forcibly and fraudulently gave the children a drink and raped them both.

As documented, the children were still a little conscious, so they quickly ran home and told their parents what he had done before they finally lost consciousness. Their parents ensured that the perpetrator was arrested by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

READ ALSO: Man sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape and ordered to clean village market and others for months

The case was later referred to the National Agency for Prohibition and Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). The case was brought to court and was scheduled for judgment on April 30, 2024, but was adjourned to Wednesday, May 22, 2023, when he was sentenced.

The court awarded the survivors two hundred thousand naira in compensation.

The Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), a non-profit organization that took on the case, thanked the Federal Court, the judge, NAPTIP, the correctional facilities, the prosecutors and the BRCI team for their tireless dedication and commitment during the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The case was prosecuted by Jonathan Esene U. Esquire and Imong Asikong Etta, Esq.

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