Final-Year Mass Communication Student Jailed 35 Years for Raping 10-Year-Old Girl in Awka

By Praise Chinecherem

A 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, has been convicted and sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison for raping a 10-year-old girl and committing other sexual and physical offences against her in Awka, Anambra State.

The conviction was handed down on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, by Justice Peace Otti of the Anambra State High Court, sitting as the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka.

In Charge No. A/3C/2024, The State v. Wisdom Edem, the court found Edem guilty on three separate counts and sentenced him to 25 years for rape, five years for sexual abuse, and another five years for inflicting physical injury on the child.

The offences were prosecuted under the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004, and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Anambra State, 2017.

Justice Otti held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on the evidence of the child victim, medical evidence, eyewitness accounts, circumstantial evidence and the defendant’s confessional statement.

How the assault happened

According to the prosecution, Edem lured the 10-year-old girl to his residence under the guise of taking part in a comedy skit.

The child had previously participated in skits with the defendant and went to his residence accompanied by her younger sister.

The court heard that shortly after they arrived, Edem allegedly sent the younger sister away to get a change of clothes. He then directed the victim into a room, claiming that other people were waiting for her there.

But when the girl entered the room, she reportedly found nobody there. The defendant allegedly locked the door and raped her, leaving her bleeding.

A medical doctor who examined the child shortly after the incident confirmed that she had sustained injuries and was bleeding.

Defendant blamed the child

During the trial, Edem denied the allegation and attempted to shift responsibility to the child.

He claimed that the girl had seduced him, initiated the sexual act and told him that she was 14 years old.

Justice Otti rejected the defence, making it clear that a child cannot legally consent to sexual activity.

The judge also relied on medical evidence indicating that the victim had been a virgin before the assault.

The court described the evidence as demonstrating that the offence was deliberate and premeditated.

Justice Otti further found that the child’s account was consistent with material aspects of the defendant’s own confessional statement, particularly the circumstances surrounding her arrival at his residence with her younger sister.

Evidence from police officers, vigilante operatives and other prosecution witnesses also corroborated key aspects of the prosecution’s case.

Six witnesses testified

The prosecution, led by Chinelo Akorah, Principal State Counsel in the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, called six witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits.

Among the exhibits were the defendant’s confessional statement and a medical report detailing the injuries sustained by the victim.

The court ultimately held that the combined evidence was sufficient to establish the defendant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Defendant absent as judgment was delivered

Despite being granted bail during the trial, Edem failed to appear in court for the delivery of judgment.

Justice Otti therefore proceeded with the judgment in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The court also ordered that the defendant be declared wanted, with his photographs circulated to the police and published online to facilitate his arrest.

Court awards compensation, withholds certificate

Beyond the prison sentences, the court ordered Edem to pay ₦200,000 in compensation to the victim for the physical injuries inflicted on her.

In another significant order, the court directed the defendant’s university not to issue him his academic certificate until he completes his prison sentence.

The prosecution’s successful handling of the case has attracted commendation, particularly for Chinelo Akorah, who is also the Public Relations Officer of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

The conviction has been welcomed as another indication of Anambra State’s efforts to prosecute sexual and gender-based violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

The case also underscores a fundamental legal principle: a child cannot consent to sexual activity with an adult, regardless of what the child may allegedly say or do.

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