An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a commercial motorcyclist, Micheal Effiong Japhet, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping a married woman who was nursing a baby.
Justice Archibong Archibong delivered the judgment on Tuesday, convicting the defendant on charges of rape and theft under the Criminal Code Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000.
The court heard that the incident occurred on February 23, 2015, when the victim, a fruit trader, boarded Japhet’s motorcycle at Ikom Iman Junction after closing her business for the day.
She was heading to her residence in Ikot Ofon when the rider allegedly abandoned the regular route and diverted into a bush path, claiming that his motorcycle had run out of fuel.
According to the prosecution, the convict then produced a knife and threatened to stab the woman before robbing her of a purse containing ₦7,000 and a China-made Nokia mobile phone.
The court further heard that despite the victim’s repeated pleas, including informing him that she was a married woman and nursing mother, Japhet forcefully raped her.
The woman later spotted the suspect while on her way to work and immediately alerted her husband.
The husband responded promptly, recovered the stolen mobile phone, and ensured the suspect was apprehended and handed over to the police for investigation.
In his judgment, Justice Archibong sentenced Japhet to life imprisonment for the rape conviction and imposed an additional three-year prison term for stealing.